The Town of Dover Police Department will host our first annual Junior Police Academy beginning on July 31, 2023, and ending on August 4, 2023.

The event will be held between 8:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. at Crescent Field and The Dover American Legion Post 27.

Drop-off will be between 7:45 a.m. and 8:00 a.m. at the American Legion. The recruits will be escorted to Crescent Field for outdoor activities and return to the American Legion for guest speakers.

The Junior Police Academy is designed for children interested in law enforcement. Local, county, and federal law enforcement officials will be present to discuss their areas of expertise. Guest agencies invited to attend include      the Morris County Sheriff's Office, The Federal Bureau of Investigation , and the Drug Enforcement Agency. Non-Law Enforcement guest speakers may consist of a representative of the Dover Public Schools and an expert on  pedestrian and bicycle safety from Avenues in Motion.

The children will be issued one pair of shorts, a tee shirt, and a baseball-style cap as the day's uniform. These items include a Dover Police Junior Academy logo and an official police identification number. Lunch will be            provided for the children. The event is free of charge to all who attend. This is made possible by the Dover Policeman's Benevolent Association (P.B.A.) Local 107 and our local businesses, who have given generous donations to support the Town of Dover's youth.  

The camp will start with drop off at the Dover American Legion (2 Legion Place Dover, New Jersey) between 7:45 a.m. and 8:00 a.m. There will be assistants waiting to greet you and sign your child in for the day. The first day will begin with a brief orientation of the program. The children will then be escorted to Crescent Field for daily drill instruction. This will include learning to march and run in formation as real police recruits do each morning at the police academy.

At the conclusion of the morning run and march, the students will be escorted back to the American Legion. Our guest speakers will then give their presentations about their duties at their respective agencies. If there are equipment demonstrations, this may require the students to be escorted back to Crescent Field. After this instruction block, lunch will be served at the American Legion.

Following lunch, the Dover Police Department will conclude the day with officers and detectives describing their unique duties as Dover Police Officers. Our equipment will also be showcased by the  police officers who train and utilize it.  Students WILL be exposed to police weapons but will NOT handle them at any time.

Dismissal will be from the American Legion each day.

On the last day of the academy, recruits will have a catered lunch provided by our local Domino's Pizza prior to graduation. Families are invited to attend the graduation ceremony at 1 p.m. on Friday, August 12, 2023, at the Dover American Legion.

This program is limited to FORTY (40) children and applications will be accepted on a first come, first served basis.  Junior Police Academy REGISTRATION FORM -- email to SPERRY@DOVERPOLICENJ.ORG