Police Sgt. Mike Reinke cleared his throat.
“Okay listen up,” he said, his voice barely audible in the room full of echoed movement: the rustling of jittery recruits waiting for the program to begin on Aug. 6.
Like most people newly initiated into police boot camp, the recruits seemed a bit disorganized, glancing nervously around as if uncertain of what to expect. Most had come to Huber Street School wearing the typical gear of summer: t-shirts, jeans and sneakers. Few resembled the stereotypical characters portrayed in the 1980s movie series “Police Academy.” In fact, these recruits hardly resembled typical academy cadets – since the oldest of this crew was 11 and the youngest 9.
This was Secaucus’ first attempt to run the Junior Police Academy, a three-day educational camp for kids. The camp is designed to foster better communication between the town’s youth and police, showing the kids some aspect of police training and giving them an overall view of the full range of police duties. The event ran from Aug. 6 to 8, and was held at various locations throughout town. The kids got to spend time close up with police officers, developing a relationship of trust and friendship.
Reinke, who had developed a reputation among the town’s youth as its one-time DARE officer, cleared his throat again, speaking louder.
“Listen up,” he repeated, issuing brief instructions to the kids to file into groups of chairs. The clusters of chairs contained about 20 chairs with X’s marked on the back to denote the person who would become platoon or squad leader.
Reinke and a handful of other police officers would go on to walk these three kids through three days that would change some of their lives, or at least, open their eyes to a way of life they knew little about. Although all of the kids had volunteered for the camp, some looked startled by the sharp commands Reinke issued. Although more gentle than the way commanders had been at his own academy, Reinke seemed stern for the first few minutes as he explained to the kids what he expected and what was expected of them. He described each day in brief detail as the kids struggled to keep their attention focused on him. Many had a look of awe in their eyes.
“The idea is to have kids interact with police officer and to get to understand that we are their friends,” Reinke said during an intermission as kids got their photos taken, were issued identification and received pull-over t-shirts.
By the time graduation came around three days later, these kids looked and acted much more disciplined, moving through marching routines none suspected they could do in the early hours, grinning a little at the oohs and aahs of their parents in the Buchmuller Park ceremony.
What they learned
A lot fell on the shoulders of platoon and squad leaders, who were expected to help get their units into shape, echoing some of the commands and detailing some of the chores issued them by the police. As a group, these kids learned to march, establishing loyalty towards the colored flag to which they had been assigned.
On the first day, they learned the basics: how to stand at attention or at ease, how to react to a command. Then over the next few days, they learned a little about what police do, that it often is more than just making arrests.
“We wanted to show these kids that police officers aren’t only there to enforce the law, but to help people, too,” said Town Administrator Anthony Iacono. “We wanted the kids to get to know the police officers and for the police officers to get to know the kids.”
Clint Burns, 9, of Clarendon School, said he wanted to attend the camp the moment he heard it was offered. While many kids found drill instruction the most stimulating and celebrated their newfound knowledge with the sharp drills performed at graduation, Burns was touched more by one of the educational elements of the three-day event.
“We got to meet New York Police and their K-9 unit,” Burns said, a note of awe in his voice.
Reinke said many of the kids seemed awed by the presence of the New York Police Department’s Emergency Service Unit, particularly after the dramatic and heroic events surrounding the Sept. 11 attack on the World Trade Center.
“It was a great experience,” Reinke said, referring to both the educational element and the close relationship with all the police officers and with the kids.
Auren Manalo, 9, of Huber Street School, said the three days had let him meet people who help other people. Manalo said he was thrilled to meet police officers and firefighters. He also said he intends to become a police officer when he gets older.
“We learned to march and we met the K-9 Unit,” he said, noting that the German Shepherd’s name was Dodge.
The K-9 demonstration was among several educational components that included a demonstration by the Secaucus Fire Department, the Secaucus Office of Emergency Management, and emergency medical technicians from Jersey City Medical Center. Kids got to see the New York SWAT team complete with automatic weapons, and the fire department demonstrated its fire fighting capabilities.
Learned a lot
Troy Pien, 11, of Clarendon School, said he was impressed with the New York City rescue team. Kendyl Voli, 9, of Huber Street School, said the three-day event taught her discipline and teamwork.
“We got to learn a lot about the K-9 unit and weapons,” she said. “We got to learn how to march.”
Aurora Lopez, 11, of Huber Street School, said she took part in the event for the experience, and that she particularly liked the cadence called out during marching.
“I was curious to see what it was all about,” she said, although she noted she had no intention of becoming a police officer.
Like Lopez, Lauren Bradshaw, 10, of Huber Street School, loved the demonstration by the New York Police and the Secaucus Fire Department. “But I really liked learning drill and ceremony,” she said.
Bradshaw said she would likely become a teacher when she graduates from college.
“I just wanted to see what this was all about,” she said.
Sharon Casey, 11, of Huber Street School, said she expected drill to be fund, but was surprised by the whole boot camp experience.
“We learned a lot,” she said. “We learned how to march and how to salute.”
She said she intended to become a police officer when she gets older.
“My two cousins and my grandfather are police officers,” she said. “You might say it runs in our blood.”