Youth Police Academy Grads Make Officers Proud

If there was any doubt about why Officer Michael Czarzasty is Cinnaminson's head of community policing, the tears in his eyes as he commended the high school police academy graduates told the whole story. 

Czarzasty was less than a minute into his speech at Thursday's graduation ceremony when he became choked up. He smiled, turned to Public Safety Director Mickey King and clapped his hands forcefully together in mock frustration.

"I have a video montage of these guys," Czarzasty said, taking a pause to collect himself. "... Let's go to that."

Speaking to the assembled graduates and their parents, King later said, "I think you see from the passion Mike has for the children in our community, why we rely on him so much."

The department graduated 13 Cinnaminson High School students, who spent the last month engaged in a variety of training activities—including K-9 demonstrations, defensive tactics, mock courtroom testimony and firearms training—which King said mirrored closely the actual police academy training.

Junior Shawn Clark said he has a strong interest in law enforcement—inspired partially by his retired grandfather's career as a Camden City homicide detective—and figured the department's youth academy "would give me an inside look at what it takes to be a police officer."

"The minute (Czarzasty) came to the school, I took a flyer immediately and said I wanted to do this," said the 17-year-old.

Kelly Murphy, also a junior, said she's thought about being a police officer since taking karate at the age of 9, and since she's already active in sports, the academy seemed like a good idea—though it was a challenge.

"It was really physical. I wasn't really expecting how physical it was going to be," she said, adding, "It was a lot of fun."

A total of 13 students graduated from the academy Tuesday.

The department's middle school academy begins July 8. The deadline to register is June 10.

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