In the photo above, Joe Nedelsky plays the part of the “suspect” in a mock traffic stop during his Criminal Justice training at BOCES CTE.
Today we feature Sharon Springs student Joe Nedelsky, an SSCS senior and aspiring law enforcer enrolled in the Criminal Justice program at the Capital Region BOCES Career & Technical Education (CTE) Center.
Joe and his BOCES classmates recently practiced their felony traffic stop skills under the direction of their instruction retired New York State Trooper Darin Jones. During these mock drills students acted out various scenarios, and received immediate feedback from Jones, as they prepared for their futures. During one scenario, students assumed the part of a police officer pulling over a vehicle, removing a “suspect” from the vehicle and placing the suspect in handcuffs. Throughout the scenario, the high school seniors maintained radio contact with a “dispatcher” and received backup from a classmate partner.
“BOCES is great because the people are really friendly and Mr. Jones shares so much of what he has learned working in law,” Nedelsky said.
Traffic stops and arrests are some of the dozens of skills taught during the two-year program offered on the Schoharie and Albany campuses. The approximately 100 students enrolled each year learn about the history, theory, practices and recent developments in the field of Criminal Justice, as well as hands-on skills such as fingerprint collection, radio use, photographing and diagramming crime scenes, and dealing with safety hazards and emergencies.
Criminal Justice students also study civil and criminal law and learn about the court and prison systems. Students completing the program may enter the Criminal Justice field as a career or continue their education in college or law enforcement. Good luck, Joe!
