The Scotts Valley Police Department took a group of about 20 middle school-aged children for the ride of their lives during a five-day Junior Police Academy training experience last week.
Young recruits experienced a broad spectrum of the police force’s day-to-day activities and training methods, including hand-to-hand combat, fingerprinting, physical agility testing, crime-scene investigating, first aid, patrol tactics and community service.
Lt. John Hohmann walked the group through a very in-depth hand-to-hand combat training course.
“This is so much fun,” said Christopher Beaty, a Scotts Valley Middle School student. “Tomorrow just gets better. We get to do the S.W.A.T. thing tomorrow.”
All the kids seemed jazzed about the hands-on course as the officers instructed them.
“The kids love this, and really, we do, too,” Sgt. Mike Dean said. “Every day, they get to learn another cool and exciting thing about our job. On the last day, we go for a river walk from the Covered Bridge in Felton down to the Garden of Eden, picking up trash and cleaning up the river.”
Dean said a barbecue will end the week on a high note.
Two more sessions in July and August are already full.
For information: Lt. John Hohmann, 440-5653
