The Voorhees Township Police Department will be holding its 5th Annual Junior Police Academy from July 23 through July 27.
This program teaches our young people from the age of 12 to 17 to appreciate and respect the duties and life of a police officer. The Academy will also give the participants, who may have dreams of becoming a police officer, a taste of police life.
The program is limited to 25 cadets who will participate in drill and ceremony (marching), physical fitness training by certified police academy fitness instructors, hands-on patrol tactics training through mock scenarios and car stops, and see a demonstration from our K-9 Unit. During the week, the cadets will also receive a tour of the Juvenile Detention Center and will see demonstrations from various special units, including the crime scene unit. All of the instructors will be Voorhees Township Police Officers and the cadets will report each day to our police station.
The candidate selection process includes checks with family, neighbors and schools to ensure the applicant will be a positive addition to the learning environment for other students and will not have an issue with following directions in a para-military style academy experience. All uniform requirements must be followed. Failure to follow Junior Police Academy rules or instructor directions will result in the cadet being dismissed from the program.
This program gives kids a taste of Police Academy life. It is meant for youths who are considering a career in law enforcement. Applicants who have not already participated in the program will be given preference.
Upon successful completion of the Academy, each cadet will receive a certificate at a graduation ceremony.
Applications will be accepted from June 1 through end of business on June 25 and must be submitted online at www.vtpd.com/jpa . Due to limited space, applicants will be notified if they have been selected to attend by email closer to or soon after the due date of June 25th.
A meeting will be scheduled with parents prior to the academy once applicants are chosen for the program. The application and related forms can be found on our website by following the link included in this message. Applicants must be residents of Voorhees Township.
VOORHEES TWP. NJ: The Voorhees Police Department has created an email account designed to receive tips for school security issues, StudentSecurity@vtpd.com, is now available for use to report issues to our Agency that may impact the safety and security at any Voorhees Public School or Eastern Regional High School. The email address may also be used for questions or concerns a student may have regarding security measures, procedures, or what to do in the event of an emergency.
911 should always be called to report emergencies or information relating to the use or threatened use of violence. This email tip account is designed for information that would require follow-up investigations relating to an issue that would not be considered an immediate threat. We encourage everyone to call our non-emergency number, 856-428-5400, for any questions.
Instances of potential bullying that do not rise to a level of criminality should be reported through the purported victim student’s respective school in accordance with established HIB policies.
###
For more information about this press release, please contact Captain Carmen Del Palazzo
February 27, 2018
Good afternoon,
I wanted to take a moment to thank all of our stakeholders and community members for participating in our School Safety Forum last night at the Voorhees Middle School. The forum produced productive and meaningful dialogue that we will be reviewing over the coming weeks to identify ideas, concerns, and solutions that were brought up by our community members and stakeholders to enhance and/or complement our robust existing school security programs.
The members of the Voorhees Police Department strive to provide superior protection and safety for all of our service population. Providing these services cannot be achieved without collaboration, training, and ongoing dialogue with our school districts, staff, students and their families. I would ask parents/guardians to have conversations with their children on the importance of taking school security drills seriously.
We also encourage everyone to report any suspicious activity, comments, social media activity, vehicles, and people immediately by calling 911 or reporting to one of our school resource / school security officers. To provide anonymous tips contact us online at www.vtpd.com or by calling 856-627-7174.
Following a review our notes from last night’s forum and the points brought up, we will provide updated information on any possible steps taken or other results brought about by the dialogue we had with those in attendance.
Again, thank you to everyone involved in making last night’s forum productive and meaningful.
Sincerely,
Louis J. Bordi
Chief of Police
In an ongoing effort to keep our students safe and our community informed, the Voorhees Police Department will be hosting a School Safety Forum on Monday, February 26, 2018 at 6pm at the Voorhees Middle School Theater (1000 Holly Oak Drive). Representatives of local and state government will be present. It is also expected that representatives of the Voorhees Township Public Schools and Eastern Regional High School along with their respective Boards of Education will participate.
All members of the Berlin Borough, Gibbsboro, and Voorhees communities are invited and encouraged to attend and participate in this forum.
###
Please contact Lt. Bill Walsh of the Voorhees Police Department with any questions at wwalsh@vtpd.com or 856-882-1107.
Voorhees Man Charged with Threat to School – February 16, 2018
Jacob Finkelstein, 18, of Voorhees, has been charged with threatening to terrorize students and staff at Eastern Regional High School in Voorhees.
On February 15th, 2018, police were made aware of an incident involving Jacob Finkelstein where he had allegedly been making false threats during school hours that were heard by multiple students, by stating that he was going to “shoot up the school”.
Captain Carmen Del Palazzo of the Voorhees Police Department reported that no weapons were found at Jacob Finkelstein’s residence during the course of the investigation.
Jacob Finkelstein was arrested on February 15th, 2018 and charged with one count of second degree False Public Alarm and one count of third degree Terroristic Threats.
He was remanded to Camden County Correctional Facility pending a court appearance.
All persons charged with crimes are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
Released Friday, February 16th, 2018.
###
Contact: Captain Carmen Del Palazzo PIO
Telephone: 856-882-1134
Email: cdelpalazzo@vtpd.com
