Students to attend Public Safety Academy in September
The second year of the Law and Public Safety Academy at Camden County Technical Schools will come to a close in June. Next school year will be historic as enrollment has reached 160, up from 60 when the program began, and the first 20 students are projected to graduate.
“The program is going extremely well and garnered unprecedented interest from the student body at both the Pennsauken and Gloucester Township campuses of the Camden County Technical School,” said Freeholder Director Louis Cappelli, Jr. “This historic initiative allows students to follow career paths in public safety when they enter high schools.”
The academy provides students with an opportunity to participate in a four-year high school based program that will produce graduates who exhibit competencies relevant to career and higher education opportunities in the fields of law, criminal justice, fire, emergency medical and other related careers.
“No one ever tells students in high school, and for that matter, college what the best track is to become a police officer, sheriff’s officer or investigator in the Prosecutor’s Office,” Cappelli said. “Now these kids are connected to a tangible career path to become public servants protecting our community directly from the professionals in the field.”
Originally designed to align with the formation of the Camden County Police Department, Freeholder Director Louis Cappelli, Jr. and the Freeholder Board worked with public safety executives and Technical School administrators to offer this opportunity to area students. Camden County College Police and Fire Academy professionals were brought in to build important partnerships for students interested in the field.
Through a partnership with Camden County College, students in the program are given the opportunity to earn college credit through articulation agreements with various courses in the program, as well as dual enrollment in college courses taught in partnership with various related college departments.
“The partnership and synergy that exists between the Technical School and the College offers students the opportunity to earn college credits before they graduate high school creating a natural transition to several degree options,” Cappelli said. “The Public Safety Academy basically operates as a feeder system for the Camden County Police Department and every other law enforcement agency in the County. It will produce individuals who want to serve and protect our community and give them a direct roadmap to do it.”
Academy of Law and Public Safety students also receive opportunities for structured learning opportunities and internships. Students will be offered external exploration experiences in the Camden County Police Department, Prosecutors Office, Communications Center, Police Academy, Fire Training Academy, Sherriff’s Office and Department of Corrections.
“While enrolled in the academy, students can obtain practical experience in agencies and departments in Camden County,” Cappelli said. “These same agencies could be where these individuals find employment after graduating from the program.”
The Camden County Technical School’s Academy of Law and Public Safety will also address the nationwide increase in demand for these types of positions. According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, jobs in the area of policing, corrections and emergency medical services are expected to grow faster than average. They project greater labor demand for fire fighters, detectives, investigators, probation officers and correctional treatment specialists, as well as security guards and gaming surveillance officers.
The Camden County Academy of Law and Public Safety also offers career tracks in Criminal Justice, Forensic Science, Fire Science, Emergency Medical and Legal Services.
The program is offered at both the Pennsauken and Gloucester Township campuses of the Technical Schools and current eighth graders who are Camden County residents may apply for admission. Parents of eighth graders who are interested in learning more about the program can contact the admissions office at (856) 767–7000 ext. 5415.
