“I want to become a police officer when I grow up,” said Yusmila Perez. “I really like to help people…”
The 15-year-old Riverhead resident stood in a field behind Hampton Bays Middle School on Wednesday, having just learned from a police officer how drones are used by law enforcement to survey large areas.
Perez was one of 20 local high school students participating in the East End Youth Police Academy, a free, week-long interactive summer program that gives students a glimpse into the training and discipline it takes to become a police officer.
When Perez learned about the program, “I really got excited and wanted to join,” she said.
This is the first year the Riverhead Police Department is participating in the program. The Southampton Town Police Department has run the academy for more than a decade in partnership with Westhampton Beach Police and Southampton Village Police.
“This year has been much bigger than we’ve ever had before,” said Southampton Police Lt. William Kiernan. “We’re excited about that.”
Throughout the week, students spend full days with local law enforcement officers, learning about policing laws, how to conduct investigations, performing basic emergency procedures like CPR, practicing defensive tactics, and participating in drills—just like in a real police academy.
On Wednesday, students were in groups learning about different types of police equipment. Students got to sit in all-terrain vehicles and motorcycles, try on tactical gear, and received a presentation from Suffolk Police Aviation on police helicopters.
A week earlier, 40 middle school students completed their own session of the academy.
Riverhead Police school resource officers helped recruit students for the youth academy, by visiting classroom and giving presentations.
“The kids were very aware. They wanted to be informed,” said Eric Cohen, one of Riverhead Police’s two school resource officers. “And I think they gain so much knowledge of exactly what we do.”
“And it doesn’t even have to be for kids that want to go into law enforcement,” Cohen added. “We do drill and ceremony for kids that want to go into the military. We do law enforcement activities. We teach them to be good friends with each other, as well. So it’s awesome.”
Noah Rodriguez, 15, of Hampton Bays, said his father encouraged him to attend the program.
“He mainly wants me to go here just so I can learn stuff about the law and everything, because he told me himself [that] he would want me to learn and have this guidance,” Rodriguez said, adding that his father did not have the same opportunity to learn about the law.
“It’s a pretty cool thing,” he added.
Gabriel Adla, 15, of Wading River, said his favorite activities so far have been the gun safety lessons — using laser training guns — and conducting mock traffic stops.
“It just seemed like a really good opportunity, and I’m enjoying it so far,” Adla said of the youth academy.
Adla, whose father is a Riverhead police officer, said he’s thinking about following in his father’s footsteps.
“I personally have a lot of ideas, but I feel like law enforcement is something I would want to do,” he said.
Applications for the East End Youth Police Academy open in the spring, officials said. More information can be found on the Southampton Town Police website.
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