Youth Academy Offers Kids Insight into Police Work

It started with a dead body, fingerprints, a shoe impression and a threatening email. 

Then 21 kids in the Princeton Township Police Department Youth Academy followed clues to determined how the woman died, why, and who killed her.

Of course the victim, played by Off. Jenn Lacovara, wasn't actually dead, but the exercise on Monday was a chance for youth academy participants to see what it's like to be a police officer. 

The Academy runs all this week from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

The week offers classroom activities, hands-on techniques and police demonstrations, including car accident investigations, crime scene investigation, arrest procedures, motor vehicle stops, building searches, fire safety and basic first aid. 

"It's a curiosity to go inside the police department and see what we do and several of the kids are interested in law enforcement," said Det. Ben Gering, who organizes the annual summer program, which launched in 2004. 

The CSI Game on Monday had students determine what weapon killed the victim and the motive for the crime. They did this through various police stations: morgue, DNA lab, fingerprints, a trace evidence lab, shoe impressions and firearms/tools. 

Students also spent the morning in drill instruction, along with a discussion about leadership skills and the importance of working as a team. 

The annual youth academy is open to any students entering sixth, seventh and eighth grades who live in Princeton or attend any Princeton school.