Teens Hook 'em and Book 'em at New Police Academy

About 20 high school students prowled the halls of Mission Hill Middle School Thursday carrying guns and trying to clear bad guys hiding behind walls and desks without getting shot themselves.

They drew down on criminals, warned them to stay where they were, and then arrested them right there in the halls and classrooms. Earlier in the week, they raced around a Beach Boardwalk parking lot chasing outlaws in speedy cars, stopping them and handcuffing them, adrenaline racing as fast as their patrol car motors.

It was part of the a new training program by Santa Cruz Police geared toward teaching the community what it is to be a police officer. This was only the second class for teens. There are others for adults and adults who speak Spanish later in the year.

One of the purposes of the training is to show how the police really work "so they don't have to go by rumors," said officer Joe Hernandez, one of the teachers who developed the program at the request of Police Chief Kevin Vogel. The new chief has been a major proponent of "community policing" – getting the department more involved with the community and visa versa.

Another goal in getting young people involved early is to help recruit solid officers who have not gotten into trouble. The department has six vacancies that have taken months to fill, in part because it can't find recruits with clean records and no experience with drugs.

“The main purpose is to start them young, to get that recruiting pool, because so many kids make mistakes early on,” said Hernandez. “We want to give them idea of what it is to become a police officer whether they are interested or just curious."

It may inspire them to stay on the right track, he added.

The first session of the four-day program took place in June, with students aged 13-18. Some have come back as volunteers for the second session and have even added the possibility of being a police offer to their future job prospect.

“Actually, yeah, it doesn’t just sound fun but it's cool because you get to help people,” said Santa Cruz High School junior Liliana Perez, 17, who particularly enjoyed trying own some of the SWAT team gear and found that handcuffing was much more difficult than it appeared on TV.

The students saw tools that broke through windows, cameras that could spy on bad guys, door breakers nicknamed "keys to the city," and shields that could stop rifle shots. They also tried on surprisingly heavy bullet proof vests, said Perez.

The sessions won her over to a career path she had never expected to pursue.

“I kind of want to do anything involving law, so I thought this would be a great opportunity,” said Perez. "I feel a lot safer knowing the training police officers have. I never knew they had to know so much. And this is a chance to really help people."

Valerie Leon, 14, has done the program twice and plans to attend again, next time bringing her cousins and friends.

“I want to be part of the Santa Cruz Police Department, maybe,”  she said.  Leon particularly liked crime scene workshop day, where students learned to collect fingerprints and DNA evidence.

The sessions mixed high action role-playing with some classroom work. But Hernandez said it was best to avoid too much time at a desk for these energetic teens.

“We want them to understand what it is that we do so that way when they are out there with their peers, they can also explain why it is that we are doing,” said Hernandez.  “They can be our voice in the community.”

The program is four days, and each day covers some of the necessary skills that cops need to know how to use to effectively perform their duties. The students eat lunch with the teachers after morning sessions.

"I have friends now who are cops," said Leon.

The first day they learned of arrest control tactics, such as control holds and how to use handcuffs. The second day, students learn about vehicle pursuits, and carry out a role-playing scenario in which some kids play police officers and others suspects.

The third day is the crime scene day, where each student is shown the process of gathering evidence. The fourth and final day is dedicated to SWAT training, the most advanced police field work, which they imitated with fake neon orange and blue pistols.

In real training officers use paint ball guns, which said Sgt. Mike Harms, may not hurt, but can stain a trainee's ego.

"You don't want to get shot in front of the other officers," he said. "It feels bad."

Thursday the students  saw demonstrations by their instructors, where they learned about keeping an eye, as a tactical team, on the angles of a room or building that is being cleared of armed suspects.

 “If he gets shot whose fault is it?” said Officer Jose Garcia as he pointed at another officer who was leading the tactical team of their demonstration.

In some situations a cop is expected to use his body to block a bullet from hurting not just a common civilian, but also a fellow police officer.

“That is my job, that is why they pay me,” said Garcia to the students. "If you aren't willing to do this, maybe you should try something else, like being a florist."

The next student classes are scheduled for next summer, although if there is funding, there might be one over winter break.

For more information contact Sgt. Michael Harms (mharms@cityofsantacruz.com or 831 420 5873) or Officer Joe Hernandez (Jhernandez@cityofsantacruz.com or 831-420-5952).