Youth Police Academy Grads Did Marlboro Proud

MARLBORO, NJ — It might still be summer vacation, but at least 13 teens in the township had a rigorous schedule for the past two weeks as members of the 2022 Marlboro Youth Police Academy, Class #6.

The class members experienced life as a police academy recruit and have been subject to drill and ceremony, physical training, classroom presentations and live demonstrations.

And on Friday night the class members graduated from the program, receiving well-earned praise from the chief of police.

“I am impressed with the commitment and dedication that these young men and women portrayed over the past two weeks," Chief Peter Pezzullo said.

"While other kids their age were probably still in bed, they were here at 7:30 each morning drilling, training and learning about the law enforcement profession," he said. The graduation ceremony took place at the Marlboro Middle School Auditorium.

The academy and programs like it are offered in many area municipalities and even by the Monmouth County Sheriff's office. They offer young people an insight into the training and work involved in law enforcement.

During the academy training in Marlboro, for example, the class members received instruction on everything from the state police bomb squad to water rescue training in a pool, to mock motor vehicle stops. They also became CPR certified, the township police department said in a news release.

They took a a field trip to Newark Liberty International Airport to get a behind-the-scenes look from Port Authority officers, and the class visited the Monmouth County Courthouse in Freehold to see how the criminal justice system functions beyond the realm of law enforcement, said Capt. Stephen Levy of the Marlboro Police Department.

The program will be offered next year, too.

"I’m glad we are able to offer this program to the teenagers of Marlboro, and we look forward to hosting next year’s academy class,” Chief Pezzullo said.

Here are the graduates of this year's class, whose class theme was "Class Six Few and True, Class Six United In Blue."

• Artur Ayanesyan
• Rishaan Bhattacharya
• Arya Bhujle
• Alexandra Bulatko
• Zach Carvalho
• Dylan Eisenberg
• Jack Falcone
• Pranaya Koplod
• Ryan Randolph
• Isabella Rotondi
• Ryan Ruditsky
• Sophia Slomushynsky
• Jaelyn Villalobos