Although the Middletown Police Department is only two weeks away from the anniversary of the first hire, they are already showing others how the job is done.
    Two weeks ago, MPD’s temporary officers mounted their bikes and began patrolling the streets. These six officers, all criminal justice majors from Delaware Technical & Community College, will be on staff until Monday, Sept. 1, assisting the department with traffic violations and parks, but also getting the experience for their future careers.
    “That’s the primary goal, to teach them more about policing,” said Chief Hank Tobin. “We also get the advantage of having our parks safer.”
    Kristen Krenzer, public relations officer for the Town of Middletown, said the New Castle City Police Department had been instrumental in getting the MPD off the ground in 2007. They have hosted a temporary officer program for years.
    “The idea got tossed around [after seeing] how successful it was there,” Krenzer said.
    Lt. Daniel Yeager said before the chosen officers could start, they went to a six-day miniature academy hosted by New Castle City.
    Tobin said vandalism and parking problems increase in the summer, which makes having temporary officers useful.
    “Last year at Silver Lake Park we experienced vandalism, thefts,” he said. “The concession stand was broken into a couple of times.”
    To find potential candidates, the department reached out to Michael Terranova, a criminal justice professor from DelTech, where Tobin had taught classes in the past.
    “Chief [Tobin] and Lt. [Yeager] visited our class, which is like a law enforcement mini-academy,” said Josh Stafford, one of the temporary officers.
    Tobin said students applied for the temporary positions and went through an interview process. Candidates were picked on how they presented themselves, their communication skills, their common sense and their aptitude with the policing. The officers picked include Stafford of the Bear-Newark area; John Stuart, a Middletown resident for 10 years; Sung Choi of North Wilmington; Tom Smith, a Middletown native who also serves as a reserve member of the Delaware Army National Guard in Middletown; Sarai Goldsberry of Dover who also works as a Delaware City Police Cadet, and Kevin McKenna, of Bear.
    “Each of the officers were equipped with O.C. gas [pepper spray], handcuffs and a baton,” Tobin said. The officers carry these items on patrol.
    Tobin said while they were at the miniature academy they learned arrest laws, defensive tactics, patrol procedures, courtroom procedures, First Aid and CPR and more.
    Tobin said the position is unpaid and full-time. Although it can be used as college credit, the current students using it don’t need it for that.
    “It’s more about the experience,” Stafford said.
    Yeager said the officers work three shifts from 8 a.m. to 1:30 a.m.: 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., 1 to 9:30 p.m. and 5 p.m. to 1:30 a.m. They ride bikes because they are more visible. The bikes help them get to places more easily.
    “They wear the bright yellow to make sure they’re seen,” Yeager said.
    Tobin said the visibility of the temporary officers has been good for the department.
    “I think it gives everybody a sense of increased police coverage and a sense of security that these officers are out there,” he said.
    The temporary officers  have many of the same responsibilities as uniformed officers. Tobin said they primarily look and issue tickets for parking violations – particularly those in fire lanes, handicapped parking, downtown parking and around Silver Lake Park. They also look for alcohol violations and vandalism and will act as crowd control at special events like the Peach Festival. However, their duties also include writing police reports, processing prisoners and testifying in court if need be.
    “No matter who you work with or talk to today, tomorrow you get a whole new experience,” Smith said.
    The officers will also be used as backup if they are near an emergency, although they will not be the first point of contact.
    “These guys aren’t pushovers,” Tobin said. “They all know how to handle themselves.”
    Tobin said the temporary officers are also helping the department reach out to business owners, so the department can create a mercantile list. This list will help officers communicate to business owners at their home numbers if the officer comes across a problem or sees anything unsecured or unsafe in the business location while on patrol.
    “By the end of the summer, I hope to have it completely current,” Tobin said.
    Stuart said the officers he’s been working with have been really helpful.
    “They put together a real good staff that really helps us understand and know the ins and outs,” Stuart said.
    Choi said he has also benefited from the experience so far, especially when he has gotten to ride along with the older officers.
    “You get first-hand experience with everything,” he said.
    Tobin said in a field which is often hard to locate qualified candidates, this experience will give the temporary officers experience over other applicants in the job market as well as a first-hand look at municipal-style policing.
    “They’re not just talking out of a book,” he said.
    Although the program is only two weeks old, Tobin said so far it has been successful.
    “You see the enthusiasm in these kids,” Tobin said, “that this is really what they want to do with their lives.”