College Park City Councilmember Alan Hew (District 1) doesn’t wear a badge or carry a gun, but he knows an awful lot about the police.
That’s because he has graduated from three different citizen police academies, where he learned how officers do their jobs and create relationships with members of the community.
“There’s a lot of speculation of how they operate and I wanted to be able to speak confidently in support of the departments that operate within our city,” Hew said. “That’s why I’ve taken the time to do this.”
Citizen police academies are intended to “bridge the gap” between police and citizens, according to Sgt. Erica Johnson, the coordinator of the Prince George’s County Police Department’s (PGPD) Citizens’ Police Academy.
College Park does not have its own police department. Instead, it relies on PGPD officers, University of Maryland (UMD) police and contracted officers, along with Metro Transit Police and Park Police.
Hew has graduated from police academies offered by PGPD, UMD and the Prince George’s County Sheriff’s Office. Academy participants attend classes once a week for two to three months, learning through a mix of lectures and hands-on activities, including playing the role of an officer responding to an emergency.
Hew, who was re-elected to the council in November, is serving his third term on the dais. He was appointed to the council in 2023 to replace longtime member Fazlul Kabir, who left his seat to become mayor. Before that, he served from 2013 to 2015 in District 4 before citywide redistricting.
He started attending the academies when he was campaigning to keep his seat on the council in 2023.
What he has learned, Hew said, has helped him contribute in a knowledgeable way to council discussions about safety. He added that he has also been able to help his constituents better understand police operations.
“My colleagues know that I have completed these and when some incident arises that we will discuss, I have an insight that I can share, that they can appreciate, and know that I’ve actually put the time in to do the background on this,” Hew said.
Beyond the training, Hew said the academies have given him a chance to network with police officers. That has led to his ability to talk with police about issues such as a recent surge in graffiti around the city and pass information along to his constituents.
Kabir said training through the citizens’ academies builds trust, communication and understanding among members of the community and the police who patrol the city.
“Oftentimes on the council, when we have discussions on crime prevention and public safety improvement, because of his knowledge, he does share some important insights [about] how we can address those kinds of challenges,” Kabir said. “So it is important.”
Johnson said Hew has been an “integral” part of PGPD’s academy.
“[He was] very attentive, and he wanted to understand what we do, why we do it, and that’s why he came through,” Johnson said. “When [elected officials] understand what we do, it fosters a better relationship and partnership between them and the police department.”
The next PGPD Citizens’ Police Academy begins Feb. 23.
“Any resident that has concerns of public safety and even questions or fears the police should take this course,” Hew said. “That’d be the easiest first step to get an idea about how a police department operates.”