On Friday, July 24, the Bayonne Police Department held a graduation ceremony in the City Council Chambers for ten students, ages 16 to 20, who completed the Police Explorers Academy program. This was the first graduation ceremony in the history of the program.
The students trained from July 20 to 24. Classes and drills took place at Bayonne High School. Each day, they reported for line-up at 8:30 a.m. and trained until 4:30 p.m. They received instructions each day from officers in various aspects of policing, such as the Detective Bureau, the Traffic Division, SWAT, and Internal Affairs. The group also learned about writing police reports. The students were trained using hands-on scenarios from the Police Department. The students also received physical training and performed sit-ups and push-ups. Police officers led each of their classes.
In his remarks to the graduates, Police Chief Joseph Scerbo said to the graduates, “You should be proud of what you have accomplished. You earned this achievement through
your effort, your discipline, and your willingness to learn. You are now the first graduating class of the Bayonne Police Explorer Academy. That distinction can never be taken away from you.” Chief Scerbo added, “I encourage each of you to continue learning, continue serving, and continue leading by example. Your community needs young people who are willing to make a positive difference, and I hope this experience has inspired you to do exactly that.”
City Council President Melissa Godesky-Rodriguez saluted the graduates for their “character, leadership, and commitment.” She said the graduation ceremony was “a special milestone.”
The students will remain in the program and will receive higher-level education and additional hands-on training. The graduates are Luis Alvarez, Lourd Bantilan, Mohamed Elbaroudi, Zeyad Hendawy, Evelyn Martinez-Pena, Edwin Muniz, Carol Nosier, Benjamin Rosas, Melanne Soriano, and Philopater Zakahary.
The Bayonne Police Explorers program provides young people with the opportunity to learn about law enforcement through career-oriented training. Another goal of the program is to build better relations between young people and the Bayonne Police Department.
