First responders inspire youth cadets at Vestal Police Academy

VESTAL, N.Y. (WIVT/WBGH) – Cadets in Vestal’s Police Youth Academy summer camp got to watch as a Life-Net helicopter hovered and touched down in front of them.

The academy partners with the Town of Vestal and the Vestal Police Department to give the campers educational presentations and experiences that may spark an interest for a career in law enforcement.

Over the three-week program, the campers get to see demonstrations from a SWAT van, Bomb Squad, the New York State Dive team, and today featured a helicopter.

Once the aircraft landed, the crew, including an EMT, a nurse, and a pilot, gave the cadets some facts about their jobs, and let them climb in the cockpit.

Vestal Police Department’s Chief of Police, Stace Kintner, says these are moments that inspire the kids and keep them wanting to come back.

“That’s what we like to see, is the engagement. Cause that’s what’s going to take those experiences home to the dinner table, to where we’re communicating with moms and dads or family or whoever it may be. It reinforces the buy-in from everybody. From the parents, from the family, from the community,” said Kintner.

Kintner started the camp over a decade ago. He says in the first year, there was only 20 kids, and now there’s 120 cadets for all three weeks of camp.

Vestal’s superintendent Cliff Kasson joined the cadets today and says it’s great to see how excited they are.

“Our students are asking some really great questions about what training does it take, what’s the responsibilities, how long does it take to go from an accident scene to get to a hospital? And what’s all of the requirements that take place in that. So, it’s been really great learning experience for our students and for our staff that’s here also,” said Kasson.

Chief Kintner says later this week, the cadets will take a field trip to the Broome County District Attorney’s Office to speak with the DA, and to see court proceedings with a grand jury.

After that, is a visit to the Broome County Sheriff’s Office to tour the jail and to see some of their equipment, including a drone presentation.

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