Junior police academy introduces students to law enforcement ideas

By Steve Moyer

Nevada Daily Mail

This summer Nevada High School students will have a chance to participate in a new program, the brainchild of School Resource Officer Pat McCarty, the Junior Police Academy.

"Officer McCarty will be the instructor, it's his idea," R-5 Superintendent Ted Davis said. "I think it has good potential for being a great educational opportunity for our students."

The JPA will be held at Truman School and will run July 1 through July 14 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. each of the four days. Lunch and snacks will be provided but students must provide their own transportation.

The program is open to Vernon County youth from 13 to 17 years old. Successful academy graduates will qualify to receive one-quarter credit through the Nevada R-5 School District Summer School Program. It is free to participants and is sponsored by the Nevada Police Department, the Vernon County Sheriff's Office and the Nevada R-5 School District.

By partnering with the sheriff's office the program can help integrate the students in the county that are in outlying county districts.

The program is a police academy for young people. While graduates will not be police officers the program is intended to instill an appreciation and respect for law enforcers and their role in society.

Nevada Police Chief Christine Keim said that she is glad that the department is participating in the program and that Officer McCarty is the right person to do the training. "We're going to try to give everyone a leg up on what we do," Keim said. "Pat McCarty is going to present the program and he does a great job."

An additional benefit of the program is that it helps transform police officers from simply geing those who respond to crimes to being a powerful, pro-active force in creating a safe, crime-free learning environment. "The JPA transforms the traditional role of the police officer into one of mentor and friend, while encouraging our young citizens to be partners, not adversaries, in building safer schools and communities," Keim said.