Paintball and ‘drunk goggles’: Kids get hands-on police training

While many kids were sleeping late this summer, Nifemi Oladapo, 13, was up early, lacing her sneakers and heading out. 

“We’re doing physical training every morning,” said Nifemi, “but I play sports, so I was like, ‘This is no problem.’” 

Nifemi was one of 40 students in the Acton Police Youth Academy this July, a summer program for ages 12 to 15 run by the police department.

This year, for the first time, the academy offered two separate five-day courses for students to get a behind-the-scenes look at police work, including 8:30 a.m. physical training every day, traffic stops, and tours of the police and fire departments. 

“We were turning away a lot of people,” said Detective Derek Rodriguez, who helps run the academy. “So we said, ‘Let’s open it up.’”

Peter Korkov, 13, another participant this year, wasn’t so happy with the morning workouts — but, at the end of it, said he would do it again because he wants to become a police officer. 

“It’s kind of a sacrifice you have to make, right? And it’s really worth it,” Peter said. 

Every student who goes through the program attends a graduation at week’s end. Once everyone had received their certificate, students were treated to shaved ice in the Alcott Elementary School parking lot. 

‘Really excited’

It was a time for students to decompress and talk about everything they’d done. Reagan Stokes, 12, was sitting on the curb, enjoying her blue raspberry ice and chatting with the friends she made that week, when she talked to The Acton Bridge. Reagan joined this year’s second session after she saw her friends participating in the first one. 

“Once I knew what it was, I was really excited,” she said. “It’s hard, but it’s really rewarding, and really fun!”

Besides the daily pushups and situps, students toured Acton District Court, met motorcycle officers and K-9 units from Carlisle and Methuen, and looked inside a Boston MedFlight helicopter. They tried driving pedal carts while wearing “drunk goggles,” learned how traffic stops work, and suited up for a paintball fight.

Reagan’s father, Eric Stokes, said the program left an impression. “She came back with a lot of fun topics to talk about,” he said. “Everybody was excited and motivated. I’d definitely recommend it to other parents.”

Samantha Simpson, the student resource officer and another instructor for the academy, said students are grouped into squads and issued uniforms to build team spirit from the start. “Even if they don’t know each other at first, by midweek they’re cheering each other on,” she said. 

The motto for this year’s academy, “We learn, we grow,” was chosen to reflect the students’ progress over the week.

“You hear, ‘I don’t really do pushups,’ or, ‘I’ve never done anything like this before,’” Rodriguez said. “But by Friday, they’ve grown. They’re stronger, more confident, and better teammates.”

Officers said the program helps kids see police in a new light.

“We want to be seen as a resource, not just a consequence,” Rodriguez said. “They get to see us laugh, joke, work together — and realize we’re people, too.”