The California Institution for Men (CIM) at Chino recently held their second Junior Peace Officer Academy for staff children. The June 24 event featured a daylong simulated academy aimed at educating, inspiring and connecting the next generation.
The academy instills the core values of responsibility and teamwork demonstrated daily by California’s correctional professionals. Staff children gained insight of working in a correctional institution and the daily public safety responsibilities their parents face.
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Held on CIM grounds, the event welcomed 108 children between the ages of 8 and 18. Staff volunteered their time, representing various areas of the prison including:
- Custody
- Administration
- Medical
- Fire
- California Correctional Training and Rehabilitation Authority (CALCTRA)
These staff volunteers ran hands-on activities, giving the young attendees an inside look at the important work performed by staff.
CIM staff children get a taste of prison work at junior academy
Activities included:
- baton training and mock cell search exercise by In-Service Training staff
- water balloon toss
- K-9 demonstrations from the Investigative Services Unit (ISU).
- The Crisis Response Team (CRT) discussed their roles and responsibilities.
- Additional displays included the CALCTRA Dive School equipment and an overview of available CALCTRA job opportunities.
- CDCR Southern Transportation Hun bus tour and display.
- Hands-on fire truck demonstration by the CIM Fire Department, allowing children to operate the fire hose.
- CIM Medical Department offered a Narcan discussion and a proper hand-washing demonstration using black light, as well as a CPR overview.
The event concluded with a tour of Facility B (for Junior Cadets over 16) and a pizza lunch.
The CIM Junior Peace Officer Academy is part of the institution’s larger commitment to employee wellness, family engagement and community building. These values have been at the heart of CIM since its founding in 1941.
Story, photos and video by Ryan Alexander Herrera, Television Specialist
Submitted by Lt. O. Ramirez
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