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Kids play cop
  
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By Holly Cook
William Powell plowed over several small animals, a bicyclist and a family of three before Littleton Police officer Rob Eich pulled him over.
Powell, 12, was drunk — or at least he felt like it behind a pair of fatal vision goggles designed to imitate intoxication.
Powell was one of about 15 students who got a hands-on taste of what it’s like to patrol the streets of Littleton at Arapahoe Community College’s Junior Police Academy.
“I lost all my situation awareness,” said Powell of driving a go-cart course with the goggles on. “I couldn’t do anything.”
And yes, he would have injured someone if he really had been drinking and driving he said.
But he would like a pair of goggles for his birthday.
Working with officers from Littleton Police Department, the kids get to fire fake guns, use handcuffs on people and dust prints for evidence. And while the weeklong class isn't what CSI might lead you to believe, the kids think it’s pretty cool.
“I shot a guy in the back in a simulation,” said 10-year-old K.D. Driscoll, the only girl participant.
Driscoll comes from a long line of law enforcers with a state trooper for a dad, an aunt who’s a detective, and an uncle and grandpa who fight fires.
When one of her fellow junior police cadets mentioned he’d never seen a sniper rifle she quickly retorted, “that’s crazy.”
Littleton's Junior Police Academy is part of a nationwide program that serves to motivate young people to be outstanding citizens through law enforcement education.
The academy also teaches the kids to have respect for the law as well as police.
The program is in its seventh year with Arapahoe Community College’s Youth College.
For more information visit, www.littletongov.org or www.arapahoecommunitycollege.edu.
Powell, 12, was drunk — or at least he felt like it behind a pair of fatal vision goggles designed to imitate intoxication.
Powell was one of about 15 students who got a hands-on taste of what it’s like to patrol the streets of Littleton at Arapahoe Community College’s Junior Police Academy.
“I lost all my situation awareness,” said Powell of driving a go-cart course with the goggles on. “I couldn’t do anything.”
And yes, he would have injured someone if he really had been drinking and driving he said.
But he would like a pair of goggles for his birthday.
Working with officers from Littleton Police Department, the kids get to fire fake guns, use handcuffs on people and dust prints for evidence. And while the weeklong class isn't what CSI might lead you to believe, the kids think it’s pretty cool.
“I shot a guy in the back in a simulation,” said 10-year-old K.D. Driscoll, the only girl participant.
Driscoll comes from a long line of law enforcers with a state trooper for a dad, an aunt who’s a detective, and an uncle and grandpa who fight fires.
When one of her fellow junior police cadets mentioned he’d never seen a sniper rifle she quickly retorted, “that’s crazy.”
Littleton's Junior Police Academy is part of a nationwide program that serves to motivate young people to be outstanding citizens through law enforcement education.
The academy also teaches the kids to have respect for the law as well as police.
The program is in its seventh year with Arapahoe Community College’s Youth College.
For more information visit, www.littletongov.org or www.arapahoecommunitycollege.edu.
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