Report on the Emergency Services Citizens Academy and its Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals

Introduction: A Collaborative Initiative for Community Development

A partnership between several local public safety institutions has been established to offer the Emergency Services Citizens Academy. This initiative is a 10-week educational program designed for adult residents, running from September 4 to November 6. The program is a collaborative effort and represents a significant step towards achieving key Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) within the community.

• Participating Institutions: Portage County Sheriff’s Office, Stevens Point Police Department, Plover Police Department, and Stevens Point Fire Department.
• Objective: To provide citizens with a direct and immersive understanding of police, fire, and Emergency Medical Services (EMS) operations.
• Cost: The program is offered free of charge to participants.

Fostering SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

The academy directly supports the objectives of SDG 16 by promoting the development of effective, accountable, and transparent institutions. By inviting public participation, including from individuals critical of emergency services, the program aims to build trust and foster a more inclusive and responsive relationship between citizens and local governance.

• Transparency and Accountability: The program offers firsthand insight into operational procedures, including use-of-force simulations and explanations for tactical decisions, thereby demystifying operations and increasing institutional transparency.
• Community Engagement: It provides a platform for participatory dialogue, strengthening the bond between the community and the agencies sworn to protect it. This aligns with SDG Target 16.7, which calls for responsive, inclusive, and representative decision-making.

Enhancing SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being) and SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities)

The curriculum is structured to enhance community safety, resilience, and public health, contributing to SDG 3 and SDG 11. By educating the public on emergency response, the academy empowers citizens and helps build a safer, more resilient community.

1. Promoting Public Health (SDG 3): Participants receive hands-on training in critical life-saving skills such as CPR, directly contributing to community health preparedness and well-being.
2. Building Safe and Resilient Communities (SDG 11): Education on fire safety, including fire hose handling, and EMS procedures equips residents with knowledge that enhances overall community safety. The program strengthens the social infrastructure required for a sustainable urban environment.

Program Curriculum: A Model for Lifelong Learning (SDG 4) and Partnerships (SDG 17)

The academy serves as a model for lifelong learning opportunities and multi-stakeholder partnerships. The hands-on curriculum is delivered by volunteer emergency responders, exemplifying a strong partnership between public institutions and the community they serve.

Key Curriculum Components:

• Tours of critical infrastructure, including the county jail and 911 dispatch center.
• Practical skills development in fingerprinting and fire hose operation.
• Simulations involving use-of-force scenarios in a mock drug house environment.
• Voluntary participation in advanced activities, such as Taser exposure and supervised firearm use at a law enforcement range.

Registration Information

The deadline for registration is August 18. Interested parties may register online via the provided portal: https://forms.gle/9u8xNyhhtpJBmfn89.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

  The article directly relates to SDG 16 by describing a program aimed at building trust and transparency between the public and local institutions of justice and safety (police, sheriff, fire department). The “Emergency Services Citizens Academy” is an initiative to create more effective, accountable, and inclusive institutions by educating the public on their operations. The Sheriff’s statement, “We want the naysayers; we want people who question what we do to take this class,” explicitly highlights the goal of fostering understanding and strengthening the relationship between citizens and law enforcement agencies.

• SDG 4: Quality Education

  The academy is fundamentally an educational program for adults. It provides lifelong learning opportunities for citizens to “learn the answers firsthand” about complex civic functions. By offering hands-on training in areas like CPR and providing knowledge on emergency procedures, it equips learners with skills and knowledge that promote a culture of peace, safety, and civic engagement, aligning with the broader goals of education for sustainable development.

• SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

  This goal is addressed through the focus on community safety and institutional cooperation. The partnership between multiple city and county departments (“Portage County Sheriff’s Office, Stevens Point Police Department, Plover Police Department, and Stevens Point Fire Department”) to run the academy is an example of strengthening regional cooperation to make the community safer and more inclusive. The program itself fosters a sense of community and safety by demystifying the work of emergency responders.

• SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

  The inclusion of “EMS operations” and hands-on CPR training in the academy curriculum directly contributes to SDG 3. By training citizens in CPR, the program strengthens the community’s capacity to respond to health emergencies, which is a key aspect of risk reduction and management of health risks.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

1. SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

   • Target 16.6: Develop effective, accountable and transparent institutions at all levels. The academy is a direct effort by local law enforcement and fire departments to be more transparent and accountable. By offering an “immersive look into police, fire, and EMS operations” and inviting “people who question what we do,” these institutions are actively working to explain their actions and build public trust.
   • Target 16.7: Ensure responsive, inclusive, participatory and representative decision-making at all levels. The program promotes public participation and engagement with local institutions. By creating an informed citizenry, it lays the groundwork for more responsive and participatory community relations, even if it doesn’t involve direct decision-making.

2. SDG 4: Quality Education

   • Target 4.7: By 2030, ensure that all learners acquire the knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development… including… promotion of a culture of peace and non-violence, [and] global citizenship… The academy provides adult learners with knowledge about civic institutions and skills like CPR. It promotes a culture of peace by explaining complex situations like “use-of-force simulations,” fostering understanding rather than conflict between citizens and police.

3. SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

   • Target 11.a: Support positive economic, social and environmental links between urban, peri-urban and rural areas by strengthening national and regional development planning. The collaboration mentioned in the article between the county sheriff’s office and two different city police departments (Stevens Point and Plover) is a clear example of strengthening regional cooperation for community safety and social well-being.

4. SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

   • Target 3.d: Strengthen the capacity of all countries… for early warning, risk reduction and management of national and global health risks. The article states that the academy offers hands-on experience in CPR. This directly strengthens the community’s capacity for risk reduction and management of health emergencies by increasing the number of citizens with basic life-saving skills.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

While the article does not mention official SDG indicators, several metrics are implied that could be used to measure progress:

• For Target 16.6 (Accountable/Transparent Institutions):

  • Number of community engagement programs offered: The existence of the “Emergency Services Citizens Academy” is itself an indicator. Progress could be measured by the frequency and continuation of this 10-week program.
  • Number of citizen participants: The article provides a registration deadline and link, implying that the number of participants is a key metric for the program’s reach and success.
  • Public perception of local institutions: The Sheriff’s desire to engage with “naysayers” implies a goal of improving public trust, which could be measured through pre- and post-academy surveys of participants’ attitudes towards emergency services.

• For Target 4.7 (Knowledge and Skills):

  • Number of adults completing the program: The number of graduates from the 10-week course serves as an indicator of how many people have acquired the knowledge offered.
  • Number of participants trained in specific skills: The number of attendees who receive CPR training can be directly counted as a measure of skill acquisition.

• For Target 11.a (Regional Cooperation):

  • Number of joint initiatives between different jurisdictions: The partnership between four distinct entities (Portage County Sheriff’s Office, Stevens Point PD, Plover PD, and Stevens Point FD) is a direct indicator of inter-agency cooperation.

• For Target 3.d (Health Risk Reduction Capacity):

  • Proportion of community members trained in first aid: The number of citizens who complete the CPR training portion of the academy contributes to this broader community indicator.

4. Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: spmetrowire.com