Teens graduate Laguna Police Academy program

Mary A. Castillo

Laguna Beach Police Department Teen Academy graduated its second class

Tuesday following a trip to Judge Susanne Shaw’s courtroom at the Harbor

Justice Center.

The class toured the holding facility at the courthouse then received

certificates from Police Chief James E. Spreine.

“The philosophy behind the program was to open the lines of

communication between the juveniles in the community and police

officers,” said Sgt. Louise Callus. “We get the officers out of the cars

and into a classroom so that the kids realize we’re human and our job is

something we have to do.”

The Teen Academy is an eight-week, 16-hour program. The class met once

a week to receive presentations on field operations communications,

investigations, officer safety and traffic and juvenile laws. The class

also watched a K-9 demonstration and a live weapons fire demonstration.

“Our student evaluations have been very positive,” said Callus. “They

feel they were given a total overview of what the police department does

and what we have available.”

The third Teen Academy is scheduled for the spring 2003 and is open to

Laguna Beach High School ninth- through 12th-grade students. For more

information contact Sgt. Louise Callus at (949) 497-0399. Graduating

teens: Jamie Basich, Marcus Claar, Dalton Combs, Nelly Correa, Andrew

Garlock, Danielle Haysgaard, Mark Herron, Jesstine Jones, Tom Koch,

Stephanie Kramer, Danielle Lawrence, Kelly Monroe, Nima Mortazavi, Nolan

Plant, Natania Sampietro and Will Wright.