Cinnaminson's Junior Police Academy Graduates First Class

Last month, sponsored its , a program designed to give students a taste of what police officers here do on a daily basis.

Officer Mike Czarzasty, a in Cinnaminson over the past few years, led the inaugural academy with help from other officers and departments.

Originally only wanting to accept 18 students, Czarzasty let 28 into the weeklong program that culminated with a graduation ceremony.

Czarzasty outlined the week's schedule:

Day 1—The students learned about the history and dangers of police work and levels of force that can be used by police. They also learned how to handcuff and they finished the day with physical training.

Day 2—The students discussed motor vehicle accidents. The ripped apart a car as if the vehicle was in an accident and there was a person trapped, Czarzasty said. They also learned about motor vehicle stops by simulating one in the middle school parking lot.

Day 3—Students saw a and Chuck. Joining him were Officer Brian Laudenslager and Carlos from the Burlington County Bridge Commission. The students engaged in confidence-boosting activities followed up with a crime scene investigation presentation.

Day 4—The students went to a firearms range and also learned defensive tactics. Students learned how to safely fire a gun. Each student was given the opportunity to test their defensive tactic skills on a police officer in a foam protected suit, Czarzasty said.

Day 5—Czarzasty discussed drunken driving with students and used the department's fatal vision goggles while driving a golf cart (provided by the Riverton Country Club) through a cone course. The students also saw a presentation from Keith Dunn from the KDCOP Foundation about Internet safety and confidence-boosting skills. The graduation ceremony was held the same day. 

"The academy went extremely well, even better than we had planned," Czarzasty said in an email. "The students were excited and enthused to the point that on the very last day, we asked all of them what they would change about the academy and they all asked to make it longer."

CJ Cunnane, 12, said his favorite part was wearing the fatal vision goggles.

"There were also a lot of things I didn't know about with self-defense and car stops," he said. "It was interesting to learn more about it."

CJ's mother Katie said the officers were "amazing" with the kids.

"They spent so much time with them," she said. "You could tell they had a connection with them. They weren't going through the motions. They really got to know all of the children and enjoyed being there."

Eighth-grader Courtney Errigo has an uncle who's a police officer and said she wanted to learn more about what the job entails.

"I would kind of like to be a police officer when I grow up," she said.

Courtney said she didn't realize police officers had to do so much work.

"I didn't know they had to through that much to get into the police force," she said. 

Czarzasty admitted that during the graduation ceremony, he let some emotions show.

"The students came together as a cohesive unit in one week," he said. "[They] couldn't make me more proud of them."

The students who participated in the program included: Courtney Errigo, Zach Howard, Andrew Chambers, CJ Cunnane, Tim Wichelman, Michael Miller, Matthew Overman, Matthew O'Brien, Alex Karch, Jamy Burke, Matthew Blatcher, KC Fedorko, Emma Lindsley, Tracy Slater, Jared Yeager, Morgan Kennedy, Jake Abriola, Dreyani Mason-Forest, Alexandra Kirby, Michael McDowell, Josh Wood, Alexis Lax, Brianna Tischler, Melody Bauer, Luke Young, Sameul Beatty, Donny Schuster and Riley Saint Elien. 

Czarzasty said he would like tho thank: Committeeman John Rooney, Director Michael King, Lt. Tim Young and the entire Cinnaminson Police Department, the Cinnaminson Department of Public Works, the Cinnaminson Fire Department, Cinnaminson Middle School, Hopewell Twp. Police Department, Michael Minton from the Riverton Country Club, Lenny Mongo from Lenny's Towing, L&M Bakery, ShopRite of Cinnaminson, Haines Farm and Garden, and Keith Dunn from the KDCOP foundation KDCOP.com