Cop Shop
Academy recruits interested students

Junior officers ofthe Grants police academy cover their ears Wednesday while armory Sgt. Steve Martinez fires a gun loaded with a bean bag round at the Western New Mexico Correctional Facility in Grants. [Photo by Jeff Jones/Independent]

By Jim Tiffin
Cibola County Bureau

GRANTS — Twenty-five students are participating in the second annual Junior Law Enforcement Academy at New Mexico State University-Grants campus.

These students range from eighth-graders at Los Alamitos Middle School to seniors at Grants High School, said Grants Police Sgt. John Castenada.

Castenada said the academy started Saturday and will last through this coming Saturday when the cadets graduate at 5 p.m. at the college.

The academy is jointly sponsored by Grants Police and the New Mexico State Police. It includes support from the Cibola County Sheriff's Department and new this year, New Mexico Department of Corrections, from Western New Mexico Men's Correctional Facility in Grants.

The academy is allowed to use the gymnasium on the college campus, Castenada said. The academy is offered during spring break and the students who participate give up their entire spring break to attend, he said.

Recruitment benefits
Grants Police Chief Marty Vigil said the academy is helpful when recruiting new officers for the police department.

That comment was echoed by Cibola County Johnny Valdez who said if two people applied for a deputy's position in the Sheriff's Department and one had no experience, but the other was a graduate of this academy, he would hire the academy graduate.

"Grants Police Department stands to benefit from this academy," Vigil said.

He said an applicant has to be 18 to apply to the department, and if that individual goes to the academy and then gives the police department at least 18 months of service before going to another agency, he welcomes that.

If some of the cadets want to be state police officers, they have to wait until they are 21 to apply, but can gain experience with the Grants police department, Vigil said.

Officers from all the departments presented block of educational classes, including such areas a ethics, weapons safety and self-defense. As part of this year's curriculum, the cadets toured the men's prison and were given demonstrations with the DOC K-9 unit and the emergency response team.

A five hour block that educated cadets about state laws was presented by Randolph M. Collins, deputy district attorney for the 13th Judicial District.

Parents approve
Danny Vallejos, who is a case manager at the men's prison, and a parent of one of the cadets, 16-year-old Gabriel Vallejos, a student at Grants High School, said the academy is a great opportunity for those who participate.

"It gives these students a wider understanding, a better perspective about the law, and what authority is all about," he said.

James Martin, self-employed, said his three teens were in the program, Brentson Martin, 16; Samantha Morgan, 17; and Jennifer Morgan, 16.

All three are involved in athletics at Grants High School year round, he said.

"Law enforcement has always been in my family," he said.

His father was undersheriff of McKinley County from 1965-1967 and he has brothers who are police officers and a nephew who is an officer with the Navajo Police.

Tim Jaramillo, also self-employed, said his son Jeremy, 13, a freshman at Grants High School, is participating this year.

"This is a good program, it teaches discipline and helps keep these kids out of trouble," he said.

To contact reporter Jim Tiffin, call (505) 287-2197, or e-mail: jtiffin.independent@yahoo.com.