Milpitas police give teens insight on what it takes to be a cop

The Milpitas Police Department hosted its first Summer Teen Academy since the pandemic last month, giving local youth insight into what it takes to be a police officer.

The program, held July 24-26, also highlighted the daily duties of a SWAT operator, a detective and an administration supervisor for the 13- to 16-yearold participants.

Milpitas Police Chief Jared Hernandez, Assistant Chief Frank Morales, Sgt. Peter Tachis and Officer Mostafa Asefi kicked off the first day with an introductory walking tour of the Police Department. The tour also covered internet safety and de-escalation techniques. Officers from the traffic unit talked about distracted drivers and the associated risks on the road.

On the second day, the group headed outside to the parking lot with officers Andrew Adams and Rakia Falcon for a demonstration of the Matrice 300, the department's industrial-grade mapping inspection drone. The theoretical demonstration quickly turned into a reallife tracking flight after police radios announced a fugitive was heading toward the Great Mall. Adams remotely piloted the drone while Falcon kept both eyes on the screen to secure the drone in its surroundings and be the second pair of eyes for Adams.

Activities on the last day of the academy included meeting with the forensic evidence technician team for activities around crime scene scenarios, and with the K9 team.

The program ended with a graduation ceremony overseen by Hernandez and Morales, and a hope for the students to participate in the department's Explorer Program in the future.