Everyone knows the saying, “Not all superheroes wear capes.” In terms of today’s society, the heroes that we talk of are those who risk their lives to keep us safe: the police. Now, high school students have an incredible opportunity to become part of this police force in a Police Cadet program which shows what the life of an officer is truly like.

“This program allows young teens who live in or near the city of Colorado Springs to become informed and involved in law enforcement, while actively becoming part of their community. This allows teens to further their knowledge and understanding of the criminal justice system through training, and to provide an insight into all phases of police work as a possible future profession,” outlines the CSPD website about the cadet program.

Deanna Pruett 10 and Hannah Carlson 10 are both members of this Cadet program.

“We do basic police training. For instance, we do physical training, learning what to do if there is an active shooter, and stuff like that,” Pruett said.  She has been involved in the program for about two years and has been loving it.

One other thing that is enticing about the cadet program is that everything they learn is new and useful. “[The lesson] varies every session. This week we will be doing CPR and First Aid, last week we did building checks and what do for domestic violence calls,” Pruett said about

The cadet program is also very helpful for those who are considering law as a future career. Pruett stated that law could be a potential option in her life, and it has definitely been helpful to her in that way.

The program meets typically on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and some Saturdays from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m., with a two week Police Academy in June. Application instructions are available at the following website: http://www.cspdcadetexplorers.com/.