Every Greenwich police officer is certified as an emergency medical technician or emergency medical responder, Captain Eric Scorca told a Citizens' Police Academy class on Oct. 7.

Scorca, the Greenwich Police Department's Patrol Division commander, laid out the reality of local police work during a session dubbed "Hollywood Day," as first reported by the Greenwich Sentinel. The session challenged popular TV portrayals of policing.

That dual medical training contributes to Greenwich's standing as Connecticut's first HEARTSafe Community, a designation the town earned in 2006 with the leadership of Greenwich Emergency Medical Service, according to GEMS.

Scorca emphasized that patrol work in Greenwich centers on what he called "positive contact," the idea that officers build trust by getting to know residents rather than just writing tickets. He expressed frustration with officers who finish a shift having only issued citations.

"We don't play numbers," Scorca said. "We want to see actual, legitimate crime prevention."

One reality TV gets wrong, Scorca told the class: paperwork. He compared himself to a teacher grading reports, sending them back when they contain two or more typos. DNA evidence moves slower than on screen, too. Swabs often go to state labs where a match can take years.

Scorca also highlighted the department's Organized Retail Crime and Fraud Unit, known as ORCA. The plainclothes detail has operated since 2020, targeting larceny, fraud and identity theft in Greenwich's Central Business District. Scorca noted that ORCA officers are frequently recruited by the FBI and other federal agencies.

That federal connection is already visible.

As we reported Oct. 7, ORCA Officers Jack Livingston and Alex DeLuca were named GPD Officers of the Month after making 17 arrests in July and sharing intelligence with the FBI, Homeland Security Investigations and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. The two had made a combined 117 arrests year-to-date as of the Oct. 6 GPD announcement. One investigation led to the seizure of approximately $18,000 in cash and $240,000 worth of jewelry, along with more than 300 stolen payment cards allegedly used to obtain more than $80,000 in cash over three months.

The Citizens' Police Academy, which the GPD has offered since 2003, is a free nine-week program for up to 40 adults who live or work in Greenwich. The 2026 session meets Tuesdays from 6:30 to 9 p.m. at 11 Bruce Place and graduates its current class Tuesday, Nov. 17. Participants also get a two-hour ride-along with a patrol officer and a marine patrol ride-along on Long Island Sound, according to the town's program page.

Residents with questions can contact the Greenwich Police Community Impact Office at [email protected].