Sparta Police Youth Division Holds Junior Police Academy

SPARTA, NJ – The youth of our community face many challenges and dangers in their everyday lives. One of the more prevalent and deadly situations our children can find themselves trapped in is substance abuse. Our town like so many others across this state and the country find they’re fighting an uphill battle over the explosion of the use of Heroin along with the staggering death toll, the shattered lives caused by this drug and the collateral criminal activity that is associated with it.
The best way to combat drug use is not to become involved in the first place. Officers in the Sparta Police Department four years ago decided to take a more pro-active posture when it comes to helping to educate the youth of our community in regards to the catastrophic dangers associated with substance abuse. The Sparta Police along with the Sparta Police Athletic League (PAL) created the Sparta Police Youth Division.

The SPYD will be holding its four-day Junior Police Academy August 20th – 23rd. The hours will be from 9:00 am – 2:30 pm.

The academy classes are held at the Sparta PAL Building located on Station Road. This is not a typical Junior Police Academy that most departments hold. This is a no nonsense survival course concerning the dangers of substance abuse. Those that attend will be given formal classroom type instruction on how to identify and strategies to avoid dangerous situations where alcohol and drugs are present.
They will hear from victims of drug abuse and family members who have lived through the nightmare of having substance abuse as a part of their everyday lives and have managed to overcome it and now share their experiences to help others. The SPYD Junior Police Academy is open to anyone from the fifth grade and up. Parents are encouraged and welcomed to attend as well. The cost of the Academy is $50.00 per family. A graduation ceremony will be held on Thursday at noon.
Space is limited and it is requested that you pre-register. For more information on the Sparta Police Youth Division or to register for the Junior Police Academy, email Lt. John-Paul Beebe at jbeebe@spartapd.org. List your children’s names, ages, school and grade. Also their shirt sizes.

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