Ó£»¨ÊÓƵ

Sea Girt, N.J. -- Attorney General Zulima V. Farber and Lieutenant Colonel Thomas Gilbert, Deputy Superintendent of the Ó£»¨ÊÓƵ State Police today hosted commencement exercises for 73 high school seniors from across the state as they completed a weeklong, police-oriented educational program with the 72nd Ó£»¨ÊÓƵ State Police Trooper Youth Week training class.

"Looking to the future, we need motivated young people like yourselves to assist in the never-ending fight to reduce gang violence, bias crime, life-destroying narcotics activity, and other threats," Attorney General Farber told the graduates. "You are our greatest resource, and our greatest strength for ensuring a safer Ó£»¨ÊÓƵ in the years ahead. I encourage you to maintain the idealism and interest in public service you have shown during Trooper Youth Week."

"Over the many years the State Police have run this rigorous training program for young adults, we have often seen it create a profound impact on their lives," said Gilbert. "Furthermore, it may serve as an important stepping-stone to a career in law enforcement, or any other career they may seek. We commend them for their accomplishment," he added.

Sponsored by the Department of Law & Public Safety and the Division of State Police, the Trooper Youth Week training program, which began in 1965, provides young people interested in a law enforcement career with "real life" police experience. Over the 40-year period an estimated 4000 students have participated in the program. Many of the graduates have gone on to careers in law enforcement on the federal, county, and local level. To date, 78 Trooper Youths have joined the ranks of the Ó£»¨ÊÓƵ State Police.

The "future" troopers of the 72nd Ó£»¨ÊÓƵ State Police Trooper Youth Week training class participated in a wide range of activities - activities that simulate the actual police recruit training experience. The Trooper Youth cadets were exposed to the regimen of reveille, roll call, academic classes, tough physical fitness training and actual police field exercises.

As part of the training program, State Police instructors placed special emphasis on exposing the Trooper Youth cadets to the unique pressures and problems associated with illegal drug use, teen violence and the aftermath of violent and deadly acts. The students also learned about Ó£»¨ÊÓƵ's vast cultural diversity and the constitutional guarantees afforded all citizens.

Additionally, the Trooper Youth cadets explored practical and theoretical areas of police science, including the history and functions of the Ó£»¨ÊÓƵ State Police; crime scene investigation procedures; firearms safety; CPR and lifesaving techniques; motor vehicle law and safety; the rapidly expanding use of computers and technology in police work; teenage drinking and driving and use of the breathalyzer; and overall exposure to police work as a career.

Below is a list of the graduates:

# # #