Det. Sgt. Joseph Rinke,
Detective Michael Colaneri Jr., Police Chief Michael Colaneri with the students at the
Hasbrouck Heights Police Firing Range.
HHPD Holds Jr. Police AcademyThe Hasbrouck Heights Police
Department held their 8th "Junior Police Academy" for Hasbrouck Heights
students. About 25 students participated.
The one week program was held
from August 14th through 21st from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. The course was led by Jr. Police
Academy instructor Michael Stillman of Hasbrouck Heights High School who has led the Jr.
Police Academy for 7 years.
Police Chief Michael Colaneri,
Detective Sgt. Joseph Rinke and Detective Michael Colaneri, Jr. provided support during
each session.
The first morning began at
Lincoln School gym where the Lyndhurst Police Department SWAT Team surprised the students
with a "flash bang" entrance, then demonstrated SWAT Team equipment and
procedures.
That afternoon, at police
headquarters, the students participated in a team building, problem solving exercise that
got them to "think outside the box." They then toured Hasbrouck Heights Police
Headquarters.
On Tuesday morning, they observed
the proper procedures used to make a traffic stop in a patrol car.
That afternoon at police
headquarters, they received martial arts self defense training from the Olympic Karate
Institute located in Rutherford, NJ.
On Wednesday, FBI Special Agent
Robert Bukowsky provided an overview of FBI activities and discussed some of the cases he
worked.
Later that morning, an Air
National Guard helicopter landed at Depken Field and the crew gave an overview on how they
assisted law enforcement with infrared cameras and spotlights.
That afternoon, the students went
to the HH Police Firing Range to review details about the range, various targets,
training, etc.
The class was introduced to the
equipment HH police officers use to include safety vests, batons, hand cuffs, etc.
Various weapons were exhibited
and discussed, followed by a live fire demonstration of a shotgun and 9 mm duty weapon
used by the HHPD.
On Thursday morning the first
segment began with witness identification. The information asked by law enforcement to
identify a person includes age, gender, appearance (i.e., glasses, height, facial hair,
scars or tattoos, skin tone, etc.).
There was an interactive
demonstration of "Faces" software used to create composite sketches. It was
emphasized that sketches are representative and not meant to be a photograph.
Later that morning, the Riverdale
Police Department K-9 gave a demonstration with dogs trained to detect drugs and
explosives.
That afternoon, the Jr. Academy
students toured the Bergen County Sheriff’s Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI)
located at River Street in Hackensack.
This unit processes crime scenes
for Bergen County police departments such as homicides, aggravated assaults, robberies and
other serious felonies.
Detective Greg Beck discussed the
careful processing of a crime scene to include photographing evidence, maintaining the
chain of evidence, detective interviews, canvassing, checking leads, etc. He stated that
their goal is to be able to re-create a crime scene.
Det. Beck gave detailed
background information on fingerprint identification, ballistics, and DNA. He explained
the supporting role of the State Police lab in crime scene investigations.
Det. Beck reviewed recent Bergen
County cases and how information gathered at the crime scene helped in apprehension of
suspects.
Later that afternoon at HHPD
Headquarters, the ATF provided students with an overview of their activities.
The final day’s session
concluded at Depken Field on Monday, with a midday BBQ where certificates were awarded.
The Hasbrouck Heights Police
Department offers this Jr. Police Academy to Hasbrouck Heights students at no cost. Those
participating receive a "T" shirt and hat. The program is geared for 8th Graders
going into 9th Grade.
Previous graduates of the Jr.
Police Academy assisted and received community service credit.
Graduates of the program assist
the police department during Town Day, Fireworks Program, Bike Marathon and can help with
the next class.
The Hasbrouck Heights Police
Department was one of the first communities to offer this program in Bergen County.
Detectives Scott Adamo and
Michael Colaneri Jr. conceived the Jr. Police Academy program as a class project when they
were attending the Bergen County Police Academy and upon graduation, implemented the
program in Hasbrouck Heights.
This successful program has expanded to offer an
adult version, "Citizen’s Police Academy: CSI Meets Law and Order," which
held their 2nd class in April/May 2006. ###
|
