Secaucus Cub Scouts Tour Police Headquarters

SECAUCUS, NJ — On Thursday afternoon, the boys who are members of Secaucus Cub Scout Pack #87 got a very special treat: A tour of Secaucus Police headquarters!

Police officer Justin Restrepo gave his time to lead the approximately 20 boys on the tour. And this was not a quick in-and-out visit: Restrepo gave the boys a tour that lasted nearly two hours and answered all their questions about what it's like to be a police officer.

The children got a behind-the scenes look at the police station, something that many members of the public, including adults, will never get to see.

First, the boys got a tour of the command room, where Officer Restrepo showed them his bullet-proof vest, his body-worn camera and how handcuffs work. Then the boys got to tour the detectives' office and interrogation room, which is where Secaucus Police question suspects.

Then he led them into the 911 call center, which is where all 911 calls made in the town of Secaucus are received. The Cub Scouts met the men and women who work as radio dispatchers and learned how they field a 911 call and what kind of questions they ask. Even parents were not allowed into the 911 call center; the boys had to be silent (not easy for a group of six- to 11-year-olds) and the boys all had to leave when an actual 911 call came in. The boys knew they had to exit the room immediately because red lights started flashing to warn of an incoming 911 call.

Then, all the boys were fingerprinted and they got to go inside a Secaucus squad car. Finally, the best part of the visit was when all the Cubs got to see inside a real jail cell.

The tour was arranged by Secaucus Cub Scouts Pack Leader Helen Allen, and assistant pack leader Sheila Witrock, both longtime Secaucus residents who are very active in giving back to their town. Mrs. Witrock's son is a Secaucus police officer, and former Cub Scout, and he helped arrange for the boys to have the tour.