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Students get crash course in law enforcement through Teen Academy

KIHEI -- As they maneuvered police officers into arrest positions at the Kihei Police Station dojo, students were learning more than ways to get suspects to comply.

"Try your hardest," said one student asked to summarize the takeaway from the exercise Tuesday.

"There's a lot of technique. Strength doesn't necessarily matter," said another.

"Have a strong mindset," said a third.

The final test was part of arrest and defense tactics training for youth participating in the Maui Police Department's Teen Academy.

Now in its sixth year, the free two-week summer program is designed to increase teenagers' understanding of a law enforcement career.

Twelve students graduated from the program Friday, following nine students who completed a similar session last month.

"They''re able to gain hands-on experience," said acting juvenile Sgt. Jonathan Honda, coordinator of the second Teen Academy session. "It sparks their interest, not just in the Police Department but also other options."

In addition to learning about MPD units including the Vice Division, Special Response Team and riot team, students heard about college and military opportunities and met with 2nd Circuit Chief Judge Peter Cahill, defense attorneys and prosecutors at the Wailuku courthouse. All participants also received CPR certifications.

"Our main goal is to have them have goals and accomplish their goals, let them know whatever dream they want to accomplish is possible," Honda said.

To participate in the academy, students were required to have grade-point-averages of at least 2.0 and go through an interview.

Lahaina resident Chris Mueller, 17, said being in the academy made him consider law enforcement "as an actual career that I could possibly get into later in life."

He said his favorite part was learning about firearm safety and acting out scenarios using a firearm simulator.

"Everything happens so fast for officers. It's a really tough job having split-second decisions," said Mueller, who will be starting his senior year at Lahainaluna High School.

"It was a great opportunity that they offered for us to be able to come here and learn more about their department, get to interact with police instead of just the guys in patrol cars that pull you over. You get to really see from their point of view everything that's going on, getting a greater understanding of what it means to be in law enforcement."

Sixteen-year-old Kaydrin Visesio-De La Nux, who will be a senior at Kamehameha Schools Maui, said she was excited to learn the arrest and defense tactics, including some that differ from her training as a boxer.

While officer Frank Kuamo'o was pinning her down, "it feels like a lot of pressure, it's like you're in a small closet," she said.

"Ground work in general is hard," she said. "It feels good once you get out of it."

Her father is a correctional officer, she said, and she hopes to pursue a law enforcement career in a few years.

Waiehu resident Jack Boughner, 15, who will be a freshman at Baldwin High School, said his favorite part was the arrest and defense tactics training.

After practicing karate for eight months when he was in the first grade, "I haven't done it since," said Boughner, who "felt great" after lifting Kuamo'o into the arrest position.

Honda said the students included some who had never done physical training and some who train often.

"Some are interested in pursuing law enforcement careers," he said. "Some are curious about what that entails. A lot of it is very eye-opening."

Kuamo'o, who is an MPD instructor in arrest and defense tactics, said it's been his experience that 9 out of 10 people arrested will comply with a police officer's orders. "I can talk people into handcuffs," he said.

The training was to prepare for the other situations, he said. "We don't just test you physically," he said. "We test you mentally, spiritually."

Officers said the training in the dojo would apply when the students face adversity in life.

"They know to not give up, even though they're tired, work through situations," Honda said. "Sometimes we need to go outside our comfort zone to push."

After succeeding in the final test, "they have a sense of accomplishment," Honda said.

"You can tell at the end of the class their comfort level is at an all-time high," he said.

Kihei resident Amber Donnelly, 18, a soccer, track and volleyball athlete, said she had to refer back to techniques taught in the training to get school resource officer Nephi Laga into the takedown position.

"It's not always muscle that wins, as long as you keep fighting, keep pushing," she said.

The Maui High School graduate will attend the University of Hawaii Maui College and study kinesiology.

After going through the Teen Academy, she said she still wants to be a police officer.

"I think everyone should do it, even if you don't want to be a police officer," she said. "You learn a lot of valuable things and knowledge you can take out of the class and gain even more respect for police officers."