Newark Teens Graduate From Port Authority PD’s First Youth Academy

NEWARK, NJ — Several teens from Newark were among the high school students who recently graduated from the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey’s first “Youth Academy.”

The Port Authority Police Department (PAPD) graduated 10 students from its inaugural Youth Academy on Friday, including seniors from Barringer High School in Newark and the High School for Law Enforcement and Public Safety in Queens, New York.

The weeklong program introduced the students to the real-life training that PAPD officers normally experience. The program focused on laws that govern police, investigations, physical training and defensive tactics. As part of the curriculum, students were instructed on the history of the PAPD, departmental structure and emergency response and first aid, physical fitness and team-building skills. Students received demonstrations from a range of law enforcement and emergency response units, including several PAPD investigation bureaus, fire and safety units, counterterrorism experts and the K-9 unit.

“The Youth Academy will help develop our future leaders by introducing them to the skills and experiences needed to succeed,” Port Authority Police Superintendent Edward Cetnar said.

“We wish them well as they continue to pursue extraordinary opportunities in the law enforcement field,” Cetnar said.

Port Authority administrators said the Youth Academy Program has roots in a comprehensive report from its Leadership Steering Committee on Race Dynamics, which outlined 25 actions and recommendations to be implemented as the agency continues working toward achieving racial and cultural diversity in the workplace.

“As an agency that prides itself in providing a safe, secure environment for the traveling public, we are pleased to give our young people a taste of what a law enforcement career is all about,” Port Authority Chief Security Officer John Bilich said.

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