Georgetown, DE-Georgetown Junior Police Academy, held its 5th annual graduation ceremony on Friday, August 21, 2020, at Delaware Tech in Georgetown.
The Georgetown Junior Police Academy was held August 17 thru the 21st. Initially canceled due to Covid-19 restrictions, the Junior Police Academy was rescheduled for August and hosted at the Georgetown Public Library. Following social distancing guidelines and utilizing personal protection Equipment, eighteen youth participated and completed this year’s event.
The 2020 Junior Academy provided participants with a wide range of presentations. The Junior Academy kicked off Monday morning with a run to the Georgetown Circle, where cadets circled the monument of Patrolman Chad Spicer. Cadets were told the story of Spicer’s murder, followed by introductions to Spicer’s mother, RuthAnn, and his daughter Aubrey. A physical agility test followed along with a special presentation by Private First Class Anthony Smith of the Dover Police Department. Monday concluded with a K9 demonstration by the Milford Police Department.
Tuesday began with a presentation by the Beau Biden Foundation for the protection of children. Next, Lt. Brian Murphy told cadets his ultimate story of surviving an active shooter event at the 2012 Oak Creek Wisconsin Sikh Temple shooting. Cadets were then presented with the History of Policing by Chief R.L. Hughes. Lunch was sponsored on Tuesday by El Charro. Following lunch, Delaware State Police Trooper Jamal Merrell spoke to the cadets about his journey in life, the NFL, and becoming a State Trooper. Tuesday concluded with a presentation by Rose Schindler, a holocaust survivor and author of “Two Who Survived.” Cadets were all provided copies of Schindler’s book and assigned to read it in advance of the academy. Cadets listened to Schindler explain her experiences as a 14-year-old girl during the holocaust. Cadets enjoyed a question and answer session with Schindler after her presentation.
Wednesday, the cadets loaded onto a Georgetown Fire Company truck and were transported to the Delaware State Fire School. The Delaware State Fire School instructed cadets on fire safety, first aid, CPR, and AED operation. Lunch was sponsored on Wednesday by Arena’s Restaurant. Senator Tom Carper made a surprise visit to the Fire School to visit with the cadets and speak on leadership.
Thursday, Delaware’s Department of Justice presented to cadets and explained their integral role in the criminal justice system. Delaware’s Department of Alcohol and Tobacco Enforcement (D.A.T.E.) presented to cadets and explained their mission and duties within the state. Cadets were then visited by members of Delaware’s Department of Corrections. Correctional Officers and a K9 handler from their agency described to cadets their roles and responsibilities. Thursday’s lunch was sponsored by Kim Robinson, who provided cadets with pizza from Caruso’s. Thursday afternoon, the cadets were honored to hear the story of one of the Little Rock Nine. Cadets listened to the story of Dr. Terrence Roberts, one of the Little Rock Nine from Arkansas, who described his experience during desegregation in Arkansas. Dr. Roberts then entertained a question and answer session with all the cadets.
Friday morning, cadets were met with members of the Dover Police Department’s Special Operations Response Team. Cadets were able to see and sit inside of Dover’s armored vehicle and discuss the role of the team with Dover officers. Next, cadets met with Agent John Oakey from the Baltimore office of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms (ATF). Agent Oakey explained the history of the ATF as well as his current role as Resident Agent in Charge of the Wilmington Office. Cadets received a special call after lunch from Michael Oher, former offensive tackle in the NFL. Oher shared words of encouragement for the cadets and answered some of their questions. Friday afternoon concluded with a question and answer session with Remi Adeleke, former Navy Seal, and current actor/consultant. Remi shared his stories of adversity, failures, and triumphs both in his personal and professional life.
In addition to the numerous presentations, cadets were tested both physically and mentally throughout the week. Cadets learned to work as a team to reach common goals and the importance of integrity and responsibility. The week concluded at the Carter building at Del Tech in Georgetown. Cadets marched together into a room of family and friends where their guests learned of the cadet’s experiences. Each cadet was then called upon to receive their certificate of completion from Chief R.L. Hughes. The mission of the Georgetown Junior Police Academy is to identify, instill, and encourage future leaders. No matter the career path a cadet may take, it is the goal of this academy and the cadet’s experience to enhance all of their successes.
This academy would not be possible without the generous support and resources provided by fellow Delaware law enforcement agencies.
The 2020 Georgetown Junior Police Academy staff included-
Cpl. Mike Konnick (Delaware Capital Police)
Pfc. Ashley Little (Laurel Police Department)
Sgt. Joshua Hudson (Delaware Natural Resources Police)
Senior Probation Officer Katherine Giannone (Delaware Division of Youth Rehabilitative Services)
Cpl. Anthony Smith (Dover Police Department)
Detective Tyler Justice (Seaford Police Department)
Pfc. Robert Scisco (Rehoboth Beach Police Department)
Cpl. Jonathan Zubrowski (Millsboro Police Department)
Additionally, financial support was provided by the following sponsors of the 2020 Georgetown Junior Police Academy:
Schagrin Gas, Chad Spicer Foundation, First State Fabrication, MTN Ops, Georgetown Public Library, Bryan Stevenson, Senator Brian Pettyjohn, Representative Ruth Briggs-King,
Del-One Bank, Chardon Jewelers, Gondal Farms, FOGGY LLC, Richard and Lynda Messick, Good Ole Boy Foundation, Global Market Insights, Curt and Becky Hudson, Brooke and Leo Darmstadter,
Boulevard Appliance, Splash Laundromat LLC, Joan and Eric Glasco, Brett McCrea, El Charro, Arena’s Restaurant, and J and J Bagel
Source: Georgetown Police Department