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Sudbury police describe Citizens Academy, female-only RAD classes and seven-year jail diversion partnership
Summary
At the Oct. 9 Sudbury DEI Commission meeting, Chief Nix reviewed police community programs including a Citizens Academy (18+), a female-only RAD self-defence course, and a seven-year Jail Diversion Program that embeds clinicians with officers to reduce criminalization and connect people to care.
Chief Nix of the Sudbury Police Department briefed the DEI Commission on the department’s community-engagement programs, highlighting a recently launched Citizens Academy and long-running Jail Diversion Program.
The chief said the Citizens Academy has “a good curriculum” and a “wonderful” graduation program but that a recent session was canceled; he asked the commission for help recruiting participants for the spring cohort and confirmed the program’s minimum age is 18.
The chief also described the department’s RAD (Rape Aggression Defense) self-defence course as female-only and oriented toward empowerment and self-awareness. During questions, Isaac Tesfay confirmed the course’s minimum age is 18. Janine Taylor asked about School Resource Officers; Chief Nix said SROs are stationed at the high school and Curtis and that they make visits to the elementary schools.
On the department’s Jail Diversion Program (JDP), Chief Nix said the program has run for about seven years in partnership with Advocates, a nonprofit human-services agency. He described a model that embeds clinicians within police response teams so clinicians can join officers at incidents that may require clinical intervention. “The intent is to keep people out of the criminal justice system and help with going to the hospital,” the chief said, and added that the program has been shared with neighboring Hudson. He noted many JDP clients have been students and suggested social-media pressures are a factor.
Chief Nix said the department will post information about an upcoming Community Conversations Hate Crime event on the Sudbury Police Department Facebook page and recommended outreach through local clergy to broaden distribution of event materials.
What’s next: the chief asked for assistance recruiting for the Citizens Academy’s spring cohort and for partners to help publicize outreach events. The commission did not take formal votes tied to program funding or changes during the meeting.
