How the NYPD Fosters Community with Kids Despite Statistics

The Youth Police Academy this a six-week program that runs every summer, in it, children ages 10-15 have the opportunity to train as police officers. While students learn about topics such as drug prevention and gang resistance, nothing compares to the bonds they were able to form with their officers. The officers and agents taught the kids discipline, respect, and honesty by creating a familial environment worthy of these things.

“We were one dysfunctional family. We learned how to care for and how to motivate each other” says Jessica Hernandez, a nine year YPA attendee.

At the academy, students were divided into four groups or companies. Every company had a set of police officers and school safety agents with them, and these were the people they would spend the majority of their summer with, everyone was taught to hold each other accountable.

“One thing I learned that I won’t forget is how when one person in a company messes up everyone has to pay the price because we are all one family,” says Smith Mogrovejo, who attended the YPA for six years.

Part of the Youth Police Academy’s schedule was its physical training, students are taken to the courtyard to start the bittersweet and intense workouts. The officers and school safety agents would work out with the students from the beginning to the end, from running side by side, to through what seemed like endless pushups, and by watching the officers the kids were able to learn discipline and perseverance.

If there is one thing School Safety Agent Madlyn Gil hopes for the students, it is for them to take away this discipline.

“YPA isn’t easy when you first start, but if you can push through it should be like a life lesson. If something isn’t easy, it doesn’t mean you are not going to like it in the end. Keep pushing,” she says.

This unique way of learning discipline was only one the officers and agents were able to teach, and the alumni who pushed through did not like the YPA, as would be an understatement–they loved it.

Apart from the workouts, the YPA provided kids with a deeper understanding of police work, there were times where kids would use a radar gun to track speeding car, or watch demonstrations on what police officers do when arresting someone.

“I thought law enforcement was very bad, and that police just wanted to do whatever they wanted. During the years [my opinion] changed. I still believe police officers aren’t as bad as people say. Many people don’t understand how their job has to be done,” says Karen Mogrovejo a YPA attendee of 5 years.

Many of the children did not have positive views of law enforcement before coming in, yet the YPA helped change that through the unbreakable bonds with officers.

Lydia Bennett, a YPA attendee of 4 years explained that growing up in Jamaica, officers wouldn’t do anything to help the gang violence that went on around her, but at the YPA, officers went above and beyond their academy duties to help her feel welcome.

“In my first [YPA] graduation I didn’t have anyone there family-wise, and I didn’t want to take any pictures due to the fact that I was sad, but I have group pictures where the officers made me smile and it was the happiest I’ve ever been. Even coming back on the bus, I enjoyed that most because I felt as if I was cared for and loved for.”

While statistics show that many people of color have a distrust in police, the relationships the YPA formed with the kids are too strong to be broken by media frenzy.

“It sucks that some cops are ruining the view of law enforcement for society, but it just has to be spread that most cops care about society,” says Milagros Mompart an attendee of six years.

Indeed the cops of the youth police academy were some of many that showed their care for the kids. Jessica Hernandez, although now 21 still keeps in touch with the officers and agents at the YPA, as they helped her with much more than getting through the YPA’s workouts.

“They helped me beat cancer and other things I never thought I would get through, so hopefully [other] young kids decide to experience this amazing program,” she says.

NYPD Detective James Throsten, who has been participating in the youth police academy for 15 years, explained that even after the YPA many kids want to continue with programs like this, so they go on to become NYPD Explorers or end up choosing a career in law enforcement.

“I am happy that [the YPA] helped them make some kind of decision into the career path they are going into,” he says.

Indeed many of the kids that come out of the Youth Police Academy, feel the need to give back to the program that helped them, and many have gone on to consider careers in law enforcement or public service. Karen Mogrovejo, plans to be part of the counterterrorism bureau, Lydia Bennett is planning on becoming a social worker or youth advocate, Milagros Mompart is studying a John Jay College of Criminal Justice and is planning on becoming a cop, and lastly, Jessica Hernandez will soon be taking the Suffolk police department test.

“It’s a good feeling when you know you made a good impact on people” Det.Thorsten says. “You think that we impact the kids, but the kids also impact us as cops. When I hear stories about the kids doing well, I love that because it makes being a cop all worthwhile.”