The activities began Monday at the Montgomery Police De­partment’s outdoor range on Old Hayneville Road and will continue throughout the week.

Participants in the academy are soon-to-be sixth-graders from the Weed and Seed area of west Montgomery.

During the weeklong camp, law enforcement officers from different departments will hold demonstrations, give speeches and offer their expertise to the children.

Activities will include traffic demonstrations, SWAT team demonstrations, tours of police headquarters, K9 training and much more for the 25 students from area schools.

Police Cpl. Denise Barnes said that many of the students involved in the camp already are somewhat familiar with the officers.

“Most of us are assigned to the Weed and Seed area, which is a high-crime area, but is still fairly small,” she said.

Twenty-five students can be a handful, but according to Barnes, the camp is always a fun time.

“This is my favorite time of year, when we get to do Junior Police Academy. I love it, and I think it gives a lot of these kids some positive reinforcement,” she said. “A lot of these kids are from the same schools also, so most of them already know each other.”

On Monday, the children noisily lined up in front of offi­cers holding protective gear, and one by one attempted to hold the weighty gear through fits of giggles.

Eleven-year-old Kiera Jar­rett said fingerprinting was among her favorite activities Monday.

“This definitely beats cheerleading camp!” Kiera said with a wide grin. “My mom told me to try something new this summer, and I’m really glad she did.”

Kiera noticed her fellow campers crowding around Cpl. D.M. Brown as he gave a police motorcycle demonstration, so she ran over to pose in the group picture that was being taken.

After the motorcycle demon­stration, the kids walked single file out on the lawn of the out­door range, where they awaited a SWAT raid demonstration, complete with flash bangs, si­rens and a cloth-dummy crimi­nal.

The kids cheered and holler­ed for different SWAT team members during the demonstra­tion, which ended with a group picture of the kids with the offi­cers in full SWAT garb.

“We always do some really fun things for the kids,” Barnes said.

At the end of the week, the kids will attend a graduation ceremony and be given T-shirts and plaques, she said.

Also this week, they’ll take a trip to the Montgomery Zoo, go to the theater to see “Shrek For­ever After,” and get a tour of the county courthouse, where they’ll participate in a mock trial, Barnes said.1

The Sierra Vista Citizen’s Police Academy will give about two dozen community members the opportunity to learn about police investigative techniques, firearms scenarios, the use of force and much more during its annual class, said Molly Schmitt, recruiter and volunteer coordinator for the Sierra Vista Police Department.

Started in 1998, the academy is designed to “develop citizens’ awareness and understanding of law enforcement” and to “broaden their horizons about what we do and how and why we do it,” Schmidt said.

Since then, more than 300 people have gone through the program, at least three of whom have gone on to become officers with the department. More still went on to become volunteers with the department, she said.

Along with the more hands-on lessons in fingerprinting, crime scene investigation and street gang identification, the program will offer a number of academic lessons on the history of the department and the town, constitutional law and more.

In its initial years, the program was held twice a year, but budget and time constraints have reduced it to an annual program, Schmitt said.

The limited availability of spots ensures a full class each year.

“I had 15 applicants overflow into this year’s academy from the previous year,” she said.

The event is free and open to anyone over the age of 18 who lives or works within the Sierra Vista area, has not been convicted of a felony or misdemeanor involving violence or weapons and has had no misdemeanor arrests within the past six months.

The Citizen’s Police Academy begins Wednesday, Aug. 11, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. and continues each following Wednesday.

Applications will be accepted until the course is full and can be found at www.sierravistaaz.gov/pd. For more information, contact Schmitt at 452-7500.

“We run this program every summer for youths from about 12 to 17 who may have a potential interest in law enforcement in any field. It doesn’t have to be as a police officer, it could be as an attorney or a judge or a counselor,” said Rockingham Police Chief Robert Voorhees.

The course will be held July 19-23.

The academy is offered to the teenagers of Rockingham and Richmond County at no cost through a grant from the Rockingham Rotary Club, and lasts from 8:45 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day.

Cameron Kelly, the 15-year-old son of RPD Maj. Billy Kelly, will be attending the week-long academy once again this year. He said it’s a valuable tool for teens to learn about public safety and the consequences of their actions.

“In my opinion, I think it’s fun,” Kelly said. “I enjoy it, because it’s not something you see every day. You actually learn a lot. It will teach you to stay away from drugs, and what will happen to you if you do get caught.”

“We’re interested in building the leaders of tomorrow,” Voorhees said.

Kelly went on to describe the way the program has gone in the past when he attended.

“On Monday, they may teach us how to write a ticket and lock somebody up,” Kelly explained. “Then, on Tuesday, they’ll show us the S.W.A.T. team equipment and all the guns. On Wednesday, we get to work with the dogs, then on Thursday, we’ll go to East Rockingham and the S.W.A.T. Team will bust up a house and we go to the (firing range in Hamlet) and we’ll compete to see if we can beat the cops.”

On Friday, Kelly said the cadets enjoy a cookout and some recreation time in the park with law officers.

Voorhees said the academy also gives the cadets a more realistic perspective on the work officers do.

“A lot of what we do is designed to counter what we call ‘The C.S.I. Effect,’” he said. “In other words, you can’t solve these crimes in 45 minutes like they do on T.V.”

Anyone who is interested in attending the program should visit the RPD Web site at www.gorockinghampd.com, or drop by the office at 305 E. Franklin St.. The phone number is 895-2468.

Staff Writer Philip D. Brown can be reached at (910) 997-3111 ext. 32, or by e-mail at pbrown@yourdailyjournal.com.

Read more: Richmond County Daily Journal – Junior Police Academy starts in July

The program targets those interested in a career in law enforcement but is open to any teenager. The two-week program will expose teen to public safety, including the medical and legal aspects, police said. They also will complete cardiopulmonary resuscitation training and earn their certification.

Teens will learn about the Police Department, including crime scene investigations, SWAT, and the motorcycle, detective and K-9 units.

The academy will meet at Estrella Mountain Community College in Avondale from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday, July 12 to 23. It costs $45.

Teens must be 14 to 18 years old to register. Those interested can get an application by e-mailing Officer Peter Gutierrez at pgutierrez@goodyearaz.gov or Officer Kyle Rogers at krogers@goodyearaz.gov. The registration deadline is July 1.

The ceremony was held at 10 a.m. to graduate 57 new officers, including six Allegheny County police officers, four new Allegheny County sheriff deputies and one officer for the district attorney.

Nine others will now be working for police departments in Allegheny and Beaver Counties.

The other 37 graduates paid their way through the academy and will now be looking for a position with local police departments.

The eight-week program is supervised by police chief Tommie Reese and is geared towards showing the public how the police department works and other information about police work.

In the first session, the 14 participants were greeted with an introduction to the course by Reese and Demopolis mayor Mike Grayson.

DPD training officer Bobby Howerton then introduced Sgt. Monica Oliver, who reviewed the history of the Demopolis Police Department with a PowerPoint presentation.

Howerton then reviewed the recruitment and selection process for applicants to the department and the required training that officers must go through.

The session closed with Cpl. Wayne Hosea of the Alabama State Troopers giving a PowerPoint presentation showing the officers’ training given at the Police Academy in Selma, where he has served as a trainer for more than two years.

Reese was pleased with the first session and said that there was already a waiting list for the next session, which will begin soon after the first one ends in July.

“I think it went really well,” he said. “I was very impressed with the turnout, and I was very impressed with the participants. They asked some questions and gave some feedback. I think it turned out well.

“For those who complete the course, we are hoping to be able to become alumni of the Citizens Academy and come back and give input and become more involved with the police department.”

Other classes will discuss self-defense, criminal investigations, narcotics, the school resource officer, accident investigations, internal affairs, the K-9 unit, honor guard and the relationship between the police department and attorneys.

The Citizens Police Academy is scheduled to meet every Thursday night at 6 p.m. at the Demopolis Police Department. For more information or to register for the next session, call the Demopolis Police Department at (334) 289-3073.

Caernarvon Township Police Chief Paul R. Stolz Jr. said the melee Saturday also was the first in which officers had to remove juveniles from the facility since his department took over coverage of the borough from state police on April 1.

Information on calls before April 1 was not immediately available from state police. But Stolz said state police had told him they had not had a lot of calls to the facility, which originally opened in 2000.

In Saturday’s melee, five juveniles from Philadelphia were charged with assaulting counselors.

An 18-year-old was taken to county prison. The other four are in the county youth center.

Some counselors had broken bones and other injuries, but none of the injuries was life-threatening, police said.

Stolz said his department also handled two assaults at Abraxas in April.

In one, a resident was charged with assaulting a staff member. In the other, a juvenile was charged with assaulting another juvenile.

Both of those accused remained at the academy while their cases were handled in juvenile court, he said.

The only other call was last week when police helped an ambulance crew remove a juvenile who was having mental health problems, Stolz said.

Charles M. Seigel, spokesman for academy owners Cornell Cos. Inc., Houston, said brawls are rare but not surprising because residents committed violent or sexual offenses.

He said a review of a video of the melee showed that the staff handled the situation well, having it under control in less than three minutes. The staff receives continuing training in safe techniques of crisis management, Seigel said.

Michael Race of the state Department of Public Welfare said the facility’s licenses are current. Reports on the most recent inspections by the department show that staff received additional training in physical intervention and supervision was increased after a juvenile complained of abuse by a staff member.

Contact Mary Young: 610-478-6292 or myoung@readingeagle.com.

Two more Junior Police Academies are planned this summer. They’re June 21st through June 25th and August 16th through 20th. For applications head to rockfordil.gov

Of course, the main career of choice in the police is to become a police officer. To become a police officer, you have to be made of stern material. You will be there to offer a reassuring presence in the local area, so you should have confidence. You will be assisting victims of crime, and defending people from crime and violence. You will also be investigating crimes, utilising new technology, old fashioned know-how and your own abilities to crack problems and crimes. As a result, this is an incredibly exciting job, which will need a lot of hard work from you. It can be an incredibly satisfying experience however.

If you think perhaps becoming a full-blown police offer looks a bit too dramatic and exciting for you, but you still wish to give something back to society, or you still wish to work for the police, then you might think about becoming a police community support officer. This is typically a full-time salaried role, although pcso’s do not have the same powers as police. They are there to sort out minor offences, and act as a deterrent to stop offences being committed. They can also aid with door to door enquiries, and guarding crime scenes. You will still require a good deal of confidence, but the work may not be quite as dramatic.

If you are not interested at all in patrolling the streets, or perhaps you are of a nervous temperament, or lack the confidence to sort out unruly behaviour, then there are support jobs that still need filling to help the police force run smoothly. For example, you could become an analyst, looking at data and using it to help resolve and cut crime rates in areas. An analyst will help police decide how to target specific problem areas to help cut crime. This is mostly a desk job, but you will still be contributing to the efficient running of the force and the effective execution of strategies to reduce crime. Another career option existing is to become a call handler, to deal with enquiries as they come through. This doesn’t have to be a 999 operator – the police forces have non-emergency numbers too that need manning, so people can report minor crimes such as vandalism.

To apply for any of these careers, the best option is to visit the website of the particular force you wish to join. There they have a full list of the requirements, what they want from you, and also what benefits you will receive from joining up. By doing this you are certain to come across some useful Career ideas which will help you give back to your local community, and help you do some good.

The students are now eligible to take an exam that will allow them to work as a peace officer anywhere in the state of Texas.

In their training, the cadets focused on 33 subjects in the classroom, ranging from traffic laws, civil process, penal code, the criminal justice system and report writing to first aid, patrol procedures, human relations, and criminal investigations, according to a news release from the college.

Students also completed practical exercises, including weapons training, driving skills and physical fitness programs.

Graduates were: Randy Balderas, Tony Garcia, Valerie Garza, Randy Guzman, Aaron Jones, Elliott Martinez, Valentin Montemayor, Jamie Scott, Raymond Silvas, John Walsh and Joanna Zamora.