'Future Leaders' Graduate Mahwah's Junior Police Academy

Mahwah’s 12th ever Junior Police Academy class graduated with honors Friday afternoon, as police officers and town officials sang the group’s praises at a graduation ceremony.

135 recruits, which represents over 45% of Mahwah rising 6th grade class, participated in the Mahwah Municipal Alliance’s JPA this year, which happened at Ramapo Ridge Middle School over the past two weeks. Another 70 older kids in the township took part in the Academy as student instructors.

In addition to teaching its core principals – respect, discipline, and honesty – recruits spend the two-week program going on trips, and interacting with police officers, their peers, and older kids in town.

“This program makes police officers more approachable,” Mahwah Sgt. Rob Curtis, who coordinates JPA, said during graduation. “And, when [the recruits] get to middle school, they’ll already know older kids in school, and have older friends to help guide them.”

Assemblywoman Holly Schepisi gave the keynote address at Friday’s graduation ceremony. She called the grads the, “future leaders of Mahwah, the state of New Jersey, and in anything you do.”

Since the program began 12 years ago, over 1,000 Mahwah students have graduated from the program.