Kids have summer to enjoy now that school is out, but some students are choosing to continue their learning.
For years, the Onondaga County Sheriff's Office Youth Law Enforcement Academy has contributed to this effort while fostering community relationships.
Jerry Czyz, 17, signed up for the academy for a fourth time.
“I always been happy doing this because it's fun, and I've always wanted to be a cop. So the more I come here the more I learn," Czyz said.
Deputy Kathleen Kruger helps oversee the academy.
“Our goal is to introduce our cadets to a wide range of law enforcement units that we have here at the sheriff's department,” Kruger said.
Kruger said this is all part of building that community connection.
“We want them to go back to their communities and share the message about how much fun they had," she said. "And, you know, maybe we get more students from that or cadets next year, but it's, it's also a way to build those bridges with, with our youth so that they recognize that, you know, this is our job, but we're human, and, you know, that we can connect on that level. We have a lot of fun in our academy along with all of the different presenters and things that we're teaching them.”
13-year-old cadet Declan Mehlek doesn't feel like he's wasting his summer break, he said.
“A lot of my friends are playing video games, um doing other stuff, but I'm dedicating my time here because I think it's giving me an opportunity to see what like real police officers do on a day-to-day basis," Mehlek said. "And it'll give me like an inside look on like, is this really what I wanted to do?"
That inside look includes physical training, correction and custody tactics, criminal investigations, K9 demonstrations, SWAT, and patrol tactics.
"Me putting myself on the line for others, it means like I'm doing my part in the community to help and I believe that if I if I do good and I help others, good will come to me," Mehlek said.
For more information about this and other Sheriff's Department community outreach programs, click here.
