WESTFIELD–The Westfield Police Cadets finished another grueling week of training at a regional academy in Hartford, taking home several awards, learning valuable policing skills and learning an even more valuable life lesson–how to properly make a bed.
Back row left to right: Officer Chris Coach, Officer Jon Kelley, Leighan Toomey, Angie Kolek, Nick Brandoli, Destin Craven, Mike Durkee, Morgan Dixon, Lexi Bradley, Luis Rogers, Miguel Vasquez, Teddy Woods, Officer Rick Mazza
Front row left to right: Nate Schreffler, Garrett Southworth, Reiley Ledoux, Zachary David Adam and Brian Rachmaciej
The 16 cadets trained with Northeast Regional Law Enforcement Education Association (NERLEEA) at the Cadet Police Academy on the University of Hartford campus in Connecticut. The training, which lasted from July 24 to July 30, is part of the Westfield Police Cadet Program for people aged 14 to 21 who have an interest in law enforcement. It is headed by Westfield K-9 officer Christopher Coach, detective Richard Mazza and auxiliary officer Jon Kelley.
The group was a part of 400 total cadets and 90 police officers that gathered from around the New England area to give the cadets a chance to see what it’s really like to be a uniformed officer. Police departments involved included local and state departments from Massachusetts, New York and Connecticut.
The cadets spent the week practicing drills, scenarios and learning policing information in the classroom, while also experiencing a paramilitary-style bootcamp that police go through when they are first hired. This meant waking up early, several periods of physical training a day and what one cadet said was the hardest task–making a bed.
“Making beds with hospital corners was definitely the hardest part of the experience,” Mike Durkee, 16, from Westfield, said. It was Durkee’s first year at the Police Cadet Academy and he said that it was a lot of fun, but challenging.
He recounted being yelled at by several drill instructors at a time–similar to what you see in military movies about bootcamp–and this to him was a frustrating but exciting experience. He also said that the cadets were able to see a SWAT demonstration–including a flashbang detonation–a bounce house, a DJ every night and gladiator battles with padded weapons. The experience was enough to make Durkee make plans for next year immediately.
“I’m definitely doing it next year, without a doubt,” he said. “Hopefully it will be more difficult next year.”
Leighan Toomey, 16, of Westfield, was another Westfield cadet in the academy. It was her second year at the program and she said she enjoyed this year much more than the last.
Toomey said that her first year at the academy was difficult, especially due to the physical training, but in the second year she experienced more classroom training which she said she excelled at. In fact, she was so good at it that she won first place for hostage negotiation.
Of course, there were no real hostages involved, but she said that she handled herself well and it even made her contemplate becoming a hostage negotiator when she grows up.
The first place award for Toomey was one of four that the Westfield cadets took home, and Officer Coach said that it makes him proud to see his cadets reach such a high level of success in the program.
“Nothing is better than seeing the kids from our program go out and succeed,” Coach said.
The other award winners were: Brian Rachmaciej, first place in physical agility at the career development program; Cadet Lt. Nathan Schreffler, first place for highest academics; Angelina Kolek, third place for crime scene investigation; Luis Rodgers, first place in physical agility at the basic program.
For some though, the experience isn’t just about awards, but is an insight into what they may want to do with their lives and careers.
“When I first joined I didn’t expect to want to be an officer,” Reiley Ledoux, 18, said. Ledoux is the Westfield Police Cadet captain and this Cadet Police Academy was her fourth.
Ledoux said that she initially joined as a favor to a family friend who was overseeing the program at the time. The total number of students was low and they needed to bolster the amount involved.
“After the first academy though, I came into my own and learned that this is what I want to do,” she said.
Now Ledoux is pursuing a career in law enforcement, starting at Westfield State University’s criminal justice program in the fall, while also working as security at Six Flags New England.
For those interested in joining the program, Coach said that they can come by the Westfield Police Station and pick up an application. Applicants do not need to be from Westfield. To learn more about the Cadet Academy in Connecticut, visit the NERLEEA website at nerleea.org
