After spending a week at the Guttenberg Junior Police Academy, soon-to-be eighth grader Xiomara Catalan felt she had gained a valuable experience.
“I leaned teamwork, to help each other, and to be a good example for other people,” said Catalan. “I’ve changed my attitude.”
The camp, which is modeled after a real police academy, included drills and physical fitness and field trips to law enforcement agencies. It held its cadet graduation on July 19.
This is the second year that camp was extended to a full week. All of the 43 recruits who signed up – rising seventh and eighth grade Anna L. Klein students – completed the course.
Police Officer Leonardo Ramirez, the head drill instructor for the program, said the academy was beneficial because it gives Guttenberg kids structure.
“Gangs won’t help you when you get in jail.” – Hanan Salman
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“She is a lot more responsible and a lot more conscious of the choices she is making,” said Ortiz. “You know, it teaches them something about the law and it helps them know about drugs and alcoholism, stuff that is going on in the streets [and how to avoid it].”
Police in their community
Lt. Victor Conversano Jr. was motivated to begin the program eight years ago from his own experiences as a police officer.
“When I was a patrol officer I worked a lot with the kids,” said Conversano. “I had three kids that I tried to help. If we had something like this, maybe I could have directed them. Who knows?”
Police Officers James Hosie, Joseph Keselica, and Shaundell Barker were the program’s drill instructors, and many other officers volunteered with the program.
“One of the most important things about this program is our young students get to interact with police in a less than adversarial type of situation,” said Mayor Gerald Drasheff. “Most of us unfortunately only get to meet a police officer when we are in trouble or when we need help.”
Trips to Hudson County Jail, Picatinny Arsenal
On July 9, the Hudson County K9 Division held a demonstration for the kids. Afterward they toured Guttenberg Town Hall.
The next day they visited North Bergen’s Flower Hill Cemetery to pay their respects to Congressional Medal of Honor recipient Sgt. Dorsey Decatur, who was a slave before joining the Union Army during the Civil War. Afterward they took a tour of the Hudson County Jail. A male and female inmate also spoke with them.
Jada Richardson, who was chosen as the commanding officer for the 2010 cadet class, said the jail visit was “very intense.”
On Tuesday they visited Picatinny Arsenal, where U.S. Marines gave them a tour, showed them retired weapons, and served them MREs, a ready-to-eat meal.
“It was interesting,” said Sasha Amaro, a seventh grader. “We ate the foods they eat when they are away [and] it wasn’t as normal as it usually is.”
On Wednesday two prisoners who were former gang members came to talk with the students about the dangers of gang life, and afterward they visited the U.S. Coast Guard and the 9/11 memorial in Bayonne.
Students said that the prisoners really left an impression on them.
“Gangs won’t help you when you get in jail,” said Hanan Salman. “They’ll just lie to you.”
The following day they took a tour of Teterboro Airport, led by the Port Authority Police, who showed them the firefighting equipment used on planes. They also saw the New Jersey Aviation Hall of Fame and Museum.
On the last day they had a physical fitness training competition and pizza party.
“I heard about this before and I’m the type of person who likes new challenges, so I decided it would be fun to join this,” said Amaro. “It was tough, but fun.”
Cadets graduate
At the graduation ceremony at Klein School, parents watched their children file in military style and watched videos of the week.
Keynote speaker Hudson County Sheriff Juan Perez talked about how a similar camp led him to want to become a New Jersey State Trooper.
“There are three things you have to stay away from, these are what we call dream killers,” said Perez. “Drugs, gangs, and violence. Those will kill your dreams.”
Tricia Tirella may be reached at TriciaT@hudsonreporter.com.