65 Cadets Graduate From Falls Twp. Youth Police Academy

The lower level of the auditorium in Pennsbury High School East were packed on Thursday afternoon as the third Falls Township Police Academy graduated 65 students.

All of the graduating cadets are either entering high school this fall or just graduated from high school this past May. Cadets hail from different high schools, including Pennsbury High School and the Bucks County Technical High School.

The academy, which took place over 10 days, educated the cadets in a plethora of important knowledge for police, emergency services or military servicemen and women. In addition to the classroom instruction, cadets were brought outside for intense physical training to push them to their limits and took place in numerous police situation, including mock SWAT calls and traffic stops.

The academy was the work of Officer John Yeager, a Falls Township patrolman who has put on youth academies for three years in a row after getting the idea from other agencies.

Speaking in front of the assembly, Yeager went into an inspirational pep talk for the cadets.

“You must always do the right thing, even when nobody is watching,” he started.

In this message, Yeager explained that doing one’s personal best, whether it is in staying on top of school work or being a positive influence in the community, is very important.

According to Yeager, the academy went smoothly through all of the instruction. The veteran officer said he enjoyed the physical training because of the limits it pushes the cadets to.

“We make them realize that they can do more than they thought they could do,” Yeager explained.

Ryan Jopko is a first year cadet in the academy. He is going into ninth grade at Pennsbury High School this fall. Entering the academy after hearing about it from his mom, he said his favorite part was the traffic stop simulations. He plans on going into some kind of law enforcement or military career after high school.

“I think it is awesome for the kids,” said Theresa Jopko, Ryan’s mom who was in attendance at the ceremony.

“A lot of the bonds built here are stronger than most I have seen,” said cadet David Hink, who LevittownNow.com spoke with at the beginning of this year’s academy.

Hink will be entering the Coast Guard on August 21 and views the academy as a great physical training preview for what is to come.

A Citizens Police Academy is also in the works starting in September, Yeager said.