Several seniors enrolled in the Criminal Justice program at the Ormsby Educational Center received invaluable hands-on experience during a weeklong Youth Police Academy hosted by the Orchard Park Police Department.
Completing the summer program from Gerald O’Brien’s class at Ormsby were Nathan Hamm, Patrick Budney, and Kiley Dearborn of Orchard Park; Bailey Oatman of Springville; Pavel Bittner of East Aurora; and Mackenzie Moeller of Holland.
The academy ran from Aug. 18-22, and included classroom lectures on policing from experts in their fields and several hands-on activities. In all, 13 youth from five area school districts attended.
“Holding a youth academy is something we’ve been wanting to do for a long time, but we knew it was going to be a lot of work,” said Kristen Mazur, an officer with the Orchard Park Police Department who helped spearhead the community outreach program. “We worked with other departments to get some idea of how to make it work for us.”
As the academy got off the ground, Mazur connected with O’Brien at Ormsby to discuss having Criminal Justice students attend. From there, the collaboration between the Orchard Park Police Department and Erie 2-Chautauqua-Cattaraugus BOCES took off.
The program exposed students to many different facets of police work: the steps necessary to become an officer, vehicle and traffic laws, physical fitness, 911 dispatching, K-9 training, crime scene investigations, fingerprinting, and road patrol.
Students talked with Drug Recognition Experts, heard from EMS personnel, and met with volunteer firefighters. The youth also took part in ride-alongs with Orchard Park police to get a feel for patrolling in their own neighborhoods.
“It was a ton of fun,” Mazur said. “We really wanted them to learn the different aspects of being a police officer and all the different things that we do sometimes. This academy was a great way to showcase what a career in law enforcement or as a first responder can look like.”
At the academy’s conclusion, students received certificates that read: “Through dedication, discipline, and commitment to excellence, this participant has demonstrated the values of leadership, teamwork, and integrity while gaining insight into the responsibilities of law enforcement and community service.”
Mazur expects the Youth Police Academy to become an annual summer program in Orchard Park. Anyone with questions about the academy can contact her at mazurk@orchardparkny.gov/
