MARLBORO — Eleven young people who participate in the Marlboro Police Department’s Public Safety Cadets program attended a special academy this summer.
The Public Safety Cadets program is open to students between the ages of 14 and 21 who are interested in learning more about law enforcement.
The program currently has about 50 participants who are guided and advised by Capt. Steve Levy, Sgt. John Bise, Patrolman Callen Figarola, Officer Bernadette Peter, Cpl. Frank Perrini, Patrolman James Caulfield, Patrolman Matt Schuster, Officer Kelly Drum, Patrolman Frank Bianco and Patrolman Dennis Stack.
In July, 11 cadets from Marlboro attended the six-day State Youth Police Academy at Saint Elizabeth University in Morristown.
The cadets who attended the academy were Floriberto Herrera, Vincent DiLiberto, Sean Palmer, Edward Popovych, Krish Parmar, James Romeo, Ryan Ruditsky, Roman Salygin, Joseph Sewald, Yousef Shehat and Varsha Simha.
The academy’s curriculum included accident investigation, traffic direction and crime scene investigation. The cadets received instruction in cardiopulmonary resuscitation, hand-to-hand combat, and drill and ceremony. During their time at the academy, they participated in physical training.
Floriberto Herrera, 16, was recently named chief of the Public Safety Cadets post. He said he has enjoyed being part of the program.
Speaking on behalf of his fellow cadets, he said, “Although it is a rigorous process, I have a great time. I meet great people and we go through everything together. We mess up together, but we also grow together.”
For almost 40 years, the Marlboro Police Department was affiliated with the Boy Scouts of America, which oversaw the police department’s Police Explorers program for young people who were interested in a possible career in law enforcement.
Approximately 500 young men and women were Marlboro Police Explorers and about 60 of those individuals went on to work in law enforcement for agencies that included the U.S. Secret Service, the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office and the New York Police Department.
Almost 20 Marlboro Police Explorers eventually joined the ranks of the Marlboro Police Department.
The police department ended its affiliation with the Boy Scouts of America in December 2020, Levy said.
In January 2021, the Marlboro Police Explorers became the Marlboro Public Safety Cadets.
Levy said both programs have the same mission of training and educating young people about law enforcement and preparing them for a possible career in the field. The Public Safety Cadets are directed by retired and active law enforcement officers.