b'Left. Left.Left, Right, LeftThe Maplewood Junior Police Academy instills teamworkand promotes relationshipsBY ELLEN DONKERF resh out of school for the year, 25training to become a police officer. types of recruits in yellow shirts marched upReeves and other officers in the bureau kept the Berkshire Road to Clinton Elemen- recruits busy by showing them different tary School on June 28. The chil- police work. They visited the Port Authority hub dren, in grades 5 to 8, were showingatNewarkLibertyInternationalAirporttosee their families the drill and ceremonyhow it utilizes fire trucks for aircraft rescue. At the they had learned during their weekNJ Transit hub in Orange, students learned about at the Maplewood Junior Police Academy. bomb-defusing robots and the work of dogs in the Detective Sergeant Scott Reeves of the Maple- Canine (K9) Unit. In Newark they visited the New-wood Police Departments Community Service Bu- ark Mounted Unit, including the stables where the reau heads up the program. He says he was pleasedhorses are kept. On their last day, recruits attended with the number of children enrolled and views thethe Essex County Police Academy and got to work academy as an opportunity for the students to learnout with future officers, play games and compete in teamwork, see a different side of police work andraces and tug of war.foster relationships.At the graduation ceremony, Deputy Chief Ni-Laura Wintroub agrees. Her 12-year-old son,heema Malloy told families, They learned a lot Gabe, attended the academy this year for the firstabout leadership, not really about policing per se at time. When I heard about it from a friend, it justthis level. Its about stepping out of your comfort seemed right up his alley. He really loves the po- zone, doing things that youve never been doinglice, she says. It seemed like a great way to getthings you didnt think were possibleand being some firsthand experiencelearning more abouta leader.Moms are proud of their recruits: From top what it means to be a police officer and all the dif- As the children listened quietly in the Clinton Laura with son Gabe; Arlenia with son Evan andferent elements that go into it. Its been incredible.School auditorium, Officer Sakina Duncan called Maria with daughter Nicole. Theyve taken all these amazing field trips. Hes got- them up one by one so they could receive their cer-ten to learn about the transit police, what goes intotificates of completion and salute and shake hands 34/ matters magazine / school 2024'