Calling all recruits. The Cherry Hill Police Department is looking for residents ages 11 to 14 to participate in its inaugural Junior Police Academy.
The police are starting their own version of the Junior Police Academy for the first time this year. The program will run during the summer, from July 20 to 24 at the township’s municipal complex.
A number of surrounding municipalities have started junior police academies in recent years. Cherry Hill Police Chief William Monaghan feels Cherry Hill’s academy will be a great way for middle school-aged children to learn about how the police department works on a daily basis.
The idea for the academy was discussed the past couple of years when the police department was looking at ways to freshen up its community programming.
“We were looking for something that’s more current with the times,” Monaghan said. “We wanted to attempt to find ways to have better relationships with the community.”
To help form the curriculum for the program, the police department took a page out of existing police academies from other South Jersey towns.
“We’ve gone out to different towns,” Monaghan said. “We took some piece from each one and made them our own.”
The program will give participants an all-encompassing view of the inner workings of the police department. Each day will start with physical training, where an officer will put kids through a training session similar to what real police officers experience.
After physical training, participants will take part in a drill and ceremony portion of the day where they will go through a block of instructed marching.
The rest of the day will be spent in various areas of the police department. Everything from crime scene analysis to traffic patrol will be touched on. The curriculum is designed to give the class a sampling of everything related to the police department.
In addition to instruction, Monaghan said the kids will also get a chance to spend some informal time with the officers. He described the academy as a learning experience for the officers as well as the kids.
“We want to give the positive experience to the kids,” Monaghan said. “We want them to develop a relationship with the police officers. We want the police officers participating to gain something from this also.”
In addition to activities at the municipal complex, trips to the Cherry Hill Fire Department and juvenile detention center will be included. At the end of the week-long academy, there will be a formal graduation ceremony.
Monaghan said the purpose of the program is not to recruit future police officers. He feels the lessons and information taught at the academy can inspire kids no matter what career they pursue in the future.
Monaghan also hopes the kids can teach their parents more about the town’s police department.
“We also think it’s important for the parents as well for the kids participating because it’s going to give the kids a broad overview of how (the police department) does things and why it does things,” he said.
The police department has a big vision for this program. Monaghan hopes to possibly expand the program and allow kids who enjoyed the first class to return.
“Down the road, if everything goes well, we’re looking have an advanced class for the kids who completed the basic course,” he said.
Cherry Hill Township is now accepting registration for this summer’s academy. The cost is $125 per person and includes lunch each day. There are a limited number of spots open.
Visit the township’s website, www.cherryhill-nj.com, to download a registration packet. For information, call (856) 488–7868 or email recreation@chtownship.com.
