The Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office recently enjoyed a successful week with its Police Youth Academy.
On the week of July 15, youngsters participated in the Somerset County Police Youth Week. The youths were involved in activities such as mock SWAT/Hostage negotiation drills as well as physical training, while learning many aspects of law enforcement during their week as police recruits.
In order to commend the youths for their efforts, a July 19 graduation ceremony was held at Raritan Valley College.
County Prosecutor Michael H. Robertson, Chief John Fodor and Chief William Parenti were there to assist the Youth Academy Staff in handing out certificates and congratulating the kids.
“We appreciate the importance of the Police Youth Week,” Robertson said in a statement. “It provides the kids with a basic understanding of law enforcement and the criminal justice system, as well as helps develop better relationships with the youth in our community.”
A total of 35 youth recruits attended this year’s Police Youth Week, which consisted of 10 females and 25 males ranging in age from 13-18 years old.
This year’s police instructors came from various law enforcement agencies in Somerset County, including the Prosecutor’s Office, Bound Brook Police Department, Bernards Township Police Department, Montgomery Township Police Department and the Sheriff’s Office.
“It’s a great opportunity for kids to get hands-on experience and see what it’s really like to be a police officer,” Fodor said in a statement. “Some of these kids have been coming to the Somerset County Police Youth Week for five years and we hope that this will be the foundation for a future career in law enforcement.”