The rear of the parking lot outside of the Evesham Township Municipal Building was buzzing with activity last Thursday.
In one part of the lot, a couple of recruits were conducting a traffic stop. In another, an Evesham Township police officer showed recruits how to apprehend a dangerous suspect. In another, recruits conducted a field sobriety test with a fellow classmate as the classmate wore vision impairment goggles.
The Evesham Township Junior Police Academy gives kids ages 11 to 14 a crash course in what being a police officer is all about. But beyond the many activities, drills and learning going on throughout the week, perhaps the most important thing coming out of the program is the bond it creates between the township’s youth and the officers who serve Evesham’s residents.
Christine Schmidt is an Evesham Township police officer who serves as one of the lead instructors for the academy and has seem its rapid growth since it started in 2013.
“The first couple years, we did only one class,” Schmidt said. “It got so popular that we made it two weeks where we have 25 kids each week.”
Last week’s Junior Police Academy class was the first of two in the summer of 2019 and marks the 10th class in Evesham Township. When asked about how the program was able to grow so much in just seven years, Schmidt credited the work school resources officers have done to bond with students during the school year.
“Now that they see the officers more as a friendly person, we’ve promoted this as something fun where they can learn about police work,” Schmidt said.
The five-day academy is chock-full of activities. Each day, the recruits begin by doing physical fitness and military drills similar to what prospective officers face in a real police academy. Later, the recruits get to work learning about different aspects of being a police officer. The Evesham Township Police Department teams up with the fire department, State Police, the Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office and more for different demonstrations. Some of the topics covered include crime scene processing, lessons on traffic laws, active shooter response, firearm safety and vehicle stops. At the end of the week, a graduation ceremony is held for the recruits.
One of the secrets behind the police academy’s success can be found in the changes the program makes in the recruits. Schmidt said the academy leaves a lasting mark on many who participate in it and encourages them to consider a career in law enforcement.
“We definitely see a change from the first day to the last day,” she said. “I feel we can build their confidence. It’s self-esteem building and they learn they can actually do these things.”
“It shows them what it truly is about,” Schmidt added about the academy. “It shows them they can do these skills if they are interested in it. And it gives them an edge up if they want to move onto to (Police Explorer).”
A few junior police academy recruits from past years have moved up to Evesham Township’s Police Explorer program. This program, for ages 14 to 20, is for young men and women who want to dive further into the world of law enforcement and a possible career in the field. Residents can learn more about the program at http://eveshampd.org/programs/42-test.html.
The Junior Police Academy and Police Explorer programs have created a way for kids to have a close connection with Evesham Township Police. Schmidt believes the two programs have helped the department with getting more people interested in a career in law enforcement and reflect some of the core values the department promotes.
“One of our core values is openness,” Schmidt said. “We want the community to be involved, so this is a great opportunity for that.”
To learn more about the Junior Police Academy, visit http://eveshampd.org/joomla/junior-police-academy.html.
