VERY EXCITING FIRST SESSION OF THE THIRD BISHOP COMMUNITY POLICE ACADEMY

By: Tyler Beadle

BISHOP, CA – On October 2nd, 2025, the First Session of the Third Bishop Community Police Academy was held and led by Sergeant Scobie. Today’s session was chill, with a welcome, overview, brief introduction, and some presentations. The class has a total of nine students, with fifteen being advertised when we signed up. Each participant was given a pre-made binder for notes, details, dates of the classes, and much more. The binders were an awesome touch, and they made the class feel even more professional. I was extremely thankful for the work Chief Derr, Sergeant Scobie, and everyone else did to put this on.

The welcome was done by BPD Chief Derr, accompanied by Sergeant Noonan with the Inyo County Sheriff’s Department. Chief Derr shared how the academy aims to build trust between police and the community. Also, it’s important to note that this class was made not to teach the public how to become officers, but rather to learn the inner workings of law enforcement in our community and how they operate. Although signups for Class #3 are now over, I highly recommend everyone sign up for the next one. Both Derr and Scobie hinted that Class #4 is very likely. Class #3 comprises 10 sessions, all of which are being held on Thursday evenings from 6 pm to 9:15 pm. Sergeant Scobie believed this was the best time to have it; Most of the class, including me, agreed that a weekday evening after work was the best time.

Once the welcome ended, BPD Detective Ludovico showed an interesting presentation on Detectives & Major Crimes. Ludovico did a very good job in presenting and giving the class the facts about detectives. She even included funny clips from certain detective movies when appropriate, making the slide show captivating. Near the end of the show, we even went over a crime scene. Using audio, images, and some creativity, detective Ludovico walked us through as we all solved it together. I really enjoyed the presentation and how engaged it made me feel. I wanted to solve more mysteries!

Next up, BPD Dispatcher Jahn and Dispatcher Hartshorn walked the class through the day of a Dispatcher. One of the most important jobs of the Dispatcher is to determine the priority of the call, which they both went into in compelling detail. The class was shown the multiple screens they look at daily, along with the many web applications to help with the job. The Dispatchers do 12-hour shifts, from 06:00-18:00 or 18:00-06:00, with a split shift sometimes in the middle. I was fascinated to learn that police officers sometimes cover for dispatchers during breaks. Which is common for a small town like ours. Lastly, Dispatcher Jahn and Hartshorn went over some real calls they had to deal with; One being a high-speed chase and the other being the Willow Street fire.

Tonight’s class ended early, but it was still action-packed and full of knowledge. After speaking with another student and friend of mine, Steven Perez, who said: the class gave him a ‘newfound appreciation for dispatch and greater understanding of how cases actually get processed” and I could not agree more. I am excited about being able to start this opportunity, and I look forward to the future sessions. For more information about the Bishop Police Department, this Class, or any future classes, contact them for more information. If you have any questions about the article or my writing, please email me at [email protected]