It is a rare sight to see a young police officer cadet be involved in real world investigations, partly because there is only a fraction of individuals willing to commit to the intensive training program and strict code of ethics.

Junior Allegra Ziegler Hunts is one of those individuals. Having been in the Youth Cadet Program for the past several years, Ziegler Hunts is well on her way to a career in law enforcement.

The Training

Ziegler Hunts’ first official taste of training came during the summer after her freshman year when she participated in a three-week-long cadet academy. According to Ziegler Hunts, there is an application that comes with the program as well as an interview in order to give applicants real-life job interview experience.

“They’ll send information to people you reference. And then there’s an interview in front of a panel of three,” Ziegler Hunts said. “They try to make it very similar to how you would actually get a job.”

Participation in the Academy constitutes a class, and counts for college credits. The program lasts for eight hours a day starting early in the morning. Cadets go through procedures such as marching practice, the flag and a code of ethics. Once in a while, there may also be sporadic lectures throughout the day. Although the program is split among departments, cadets receive interdepartmental exposure as well to promote working within a team.

¨Of course, we had physical training, and a lot of people didn’t have fun with that.¨

After three weeks of formidable training and learning, participants are recognized as official youth cadets.

“After that, we do things like ride alongs with officers, we help with their trainings,” Ziegler Hunts said. “I’ve gone and helped with active shooter training sessions.”

On the Streets

Ziegler Hunts’ experience in real- life scenarios is still limited, and usually, her ‘ride alongs’ go smoothly.

However, not every patrol is a breeze. Ziegler Hunts recalls one scenario late at night, when she was on a ride along with a deputy who works swing shift, which is from mid afternoon to midnight, when they were approached by someone who seemed to be under the influence.

“He was threatening us and yelling at us for a long time. It was a bit scary because we were alone and we didn’t know if other units would come back us up,” Ziegler Hunts said.

Ziegler Hunts knew that dangerous situations as such are bound to occur in the field of law enforcement. She believes that sometimes, just being with a police officer can cause people to paint a target on her.

¨There’s a lot of anti-law enforcement kind of sentiment going around,¨ Ziegler Hunts said. ¨We wear uniforms that most people actually can’t tell the difference between us and real deputies.¨

The cadets do take precautions, however, and wear equipment such as ballistic vests.

“[The officers] try their best to keep us out of situations that are dangerous,” Ziegler Hunts said.

Parent and Classmate Reactions

Ziegler Hunts’ decision to participate in law enforcement came from her interest in the Teen Academy.

“I applied for that kind of as a spur of the moment thing,” Ziegler Hunts said. “The former school resource officers got me really interested in [law enforcement].”

When Ziegler Hunts first decided to pursue a career in the field, she was met with mixed reception.

“I always get asked, ‘Is that really what you want to do with your life? Do you want to be a police officer?’ The thing is, I’m not sure,”  Ziegler Hunts said.

Even her parents, for fear of her safety, were reluctant to let her pursue a career with the sheriff’s department. However, Ziegler Hunts believes that as long as this is something for which she is passionate, they are willing to support her wholeheartedly.

Despite the concerns she receives that are associated with the field of law enforcement, Zieger believes her participation in the Youth Cadet Program is worthwhile, as it allows her to explore her interests and pave a way for a possible future career.

“For me, one of the biggest things this [Youth Cadet Program] has taught me is confidence: being able to go out and talk to people on my own,” Ziegler Hunts said. “Normally, I don’t like talking to strangers but this program has helped me improve on that.

Article written by Brian Fan and Jady Wei.

Correction: April 28, 2015
An article from Wednesday (April 8, 2015) omitted the second part of Allegra Ziegler Hunts’ surname. Her full last name is Ziegler Hunts, not Hunts.