2019 Junior Police Academy Application- Click here for more information and to view the application.

Mayor Nicholas J. Sacco, Commissioner Hugo D. Cabrera, Commissioner Allen Pascual and Chief Robert J. Dowd are happy to announce the continuation of the North Bergen Junior Police Academy for the 2019 summer season. In conjunction with this year’s summer fun program, the North Bergen Junior Police Academy is for North Bergen Township children entering the 7th grade or 8th Grade as of September 2019. The Junior Police Academy will be held at a location within the Township of North Bergen. 

The Junior Police Academy is not a "boot camp" for troubled youth, but a camp designed to operate like an actual police academy for those interested in law enforcement and for students that show they have leadership skills.

The objective of the Junior Police Academy is to educate the cadets with various police procedures, history of the North Bergen Township Police Department, tours of Police Headquarters, firearms safety and a live firearms demonstration, field trip to the 911 Memorial & Museum and the Freedom Tower. The cadets will also visit the Hudson County Correctional Center, observe a K-9 Demonstration, Polygraph Demonstration, Fingerprint Demonstration and learn about the New Jersey State Police Marine Division. There may also be a chance that the select cadets may go to our Nation’s Capital in Washington D.C. and visit the White House, the National Law Enforcement Memorial and Museum and F.B.I. Headquarters. (The trip to Washington D.C. will depend on if the North Bergen Police Department is awarded the N.J.L.P.S. Expansion Program Grant.) These lessons and experiences would give the cadets a comprehensive understanding of what it takes to succeed in the profession of law enforcement.  

Cadets should be prepared for an experience spanning a wide variety of Law Enforcement techniques and training. We place strong emphasis on self-respect, respect of others, teamwork and commitment to one’s goals. This will be accomplished through structured events which will be offered in a fun, informative, interactive, educational and hands-on manner. The curriculum will consist of educational activities as well as physical training activities.

The Junior Police Academy will run for six days, starting on Monday July 22. 2019 and ending on Monday July 29, 2019.The class will not exceeded 30 cadets. Cadets will be placed in an academy class based on first come first serviced, with all the necessary paperwork filled out properly. The Junior Police Academy will be held at the Lincoln School Annex located at 1206 63rd Street (Smith Ave. Entrance).          

Requirements: Perspective Cadets must meet and complete below listed requirements. PLEASE PRINT ALL INFORMATION NEATLY.

  1. Complete the cadet application.   Applications must be completed in black or blue ink and signed.
  2. One letter of recommendation from a teacher, principal or vice principal.
  3. Completed essay question: “Why do you want to participate in the North Bergen Junior Police Academy? What do you hope to accomplish from it?”
  4. Must be an incoming 7th or 8th grade student as of September 2019
  5. Must be a Township of North Bergen resident.

Please be reminded, that the North Bergen Police Department, the North Bergen Recreation Department and the Township of North Bergen hold the right to exclude admission into the North Bergen Police Junior Police Academy due to application error, failure to meet application requirements and any acts of juvenile delinquency committed by a perspective Junior Police Academy cadet.

UPON ACCEPTANCE:   (Do not mail payment until you have received an acceptance letter)

  1. Completed medical certification form
  2. Signed medical release form and civil liability form
  3. Signed media release form

Applications, recommendation letters, and essay MUST be submitted no later than May 15, 2019 to the North Bergen Junior Police Academy (Attn: Instructor Joseph Sitty) P.O. Box 7273 North Bergen, New Jersey 07047. If you have any questions please contact Instructor Joe Sitty at 201-206-2050.

If you are accepted to attend the Junior Police Academy, you will receive an acceptance letter along with a medical certification form, medical release form, a civil liability form, range clearance form, corrections visitation form and a media release form in the mail no later than June 1,2019.  At that time you must mail a non-refundable check or money order in the amount of $25.00 made payable to the North Bergen Police PBA Local 18A with Junior Police Academy writing in the memo space. You should also mail back your completed medical certification form, medical release form, range clearance form, a civil liability form, corrections visitation form and a media release form by June 15, 2019 to the following address:        

North Bergen Junior Police Academy

PO Box 7273

North Bergen, New Jersey 07047

Attn: Instructor Joseph Sitty