L to R – Los Angeles Airport Police Assistant Chief Brian Walker, Ms. Shamara Charles, Cadet Jherred Charles and Los Angeles Airport Police Chief Michael Hyams after graduation ceremony. Photo credit Airport Police Officer Harold Caycedo.
Jherred Charles becomes “Cadet Charles”
First Los Angeles Airport Police Cadet Graduates LAPD Cadet Academy
By Airport Police Sgt. Belinda Nettles
Jherred Charles, a 15-year-old Los Angeles high school student, will become the first cadet in the newly established Los Angeles Airport Police Cadet Program when he graduates this weekend from the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) Cadet Academy. Cadet Charles will be sworn in during graduation ceremonies that begin at 11 a.m. on Sunday, June 10, at the University of Southern CaliforniaÕs Galen Center, 3400 Figueroa Street, Los Angeles.
Cadet Charles will be assigned to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), where he will ride as an observer on patrol with Airport Police officers, learning how they deal with many different law-enforcement situations. He may also direct traffic at the scene of accidents, assist with security details while working with traffic and security officers, and provide information and directions to airport visitors.
ÒIt has been an honor to introduce this program to the Airport Police Division and to have Cadet Charles represent the first of many cadets who will become a part of our great police family,Ó said Airport Police Chief Michael Hyams. ÒLos Angeles Airport Police is committed to providing safety and security to the nearly 200,000 passengers, visitors and workers who come to LAX every day. We are pleased to be able to mentor todayÕs youth Ð and tomorrowÕs professionals Ð in law enforcement and public service.Ó
Cadet Charles is a ninth grader at Alliance College-Ready Academy High School No. 7 in Los Angeles. He intends to complete high school and college, and seek a career in law enforcement. ÒMore than anything, I want to help people in my community,Ó he says.
ÒI am very proud of my son for achieving the distinction of being the first Los Angeles Airport Police Cadet in its history and know all he had to go through to earn that honor,Ó said Shamara Charles, who is a five-year civilian communications operator with the Airport Police. ÒHe is very excited about graduating and getting started with his responsibilities as a cadet,Ó she added.
The Airport Police Cadet Program is open to youth between the ages of 13 and 20. The goal of the program is to help instill leadership, academic excellence, life-skills and discipline into its participants. The program also seeks to empower students into maximizing their personal, scholastic and life potential as well as providing early insight into what a career in law enforcement would be like at LAX.
Selected cadets attend an 18-week program at the LAPD Ahmanson Recruit Training Center in Los Angeles. Through academics, physical training and drill, cadets develop teamwork, learn leadership skills and a variety of basic law enforcement skills that they will be able to use as cadets as well as in their everyday lives.
The next cadet recruit class will begin in August and there are no fees involved. Uniforms and insurance are provided through grant-funding to the city of Los Angeles. Persons who are interested in the program or know of someone who may be interested, are asked to call the Los Angeles Airport Police Training and Recruitment unit at (424) 646-5584.
The Los Angeles Airport Police traces its beginnings to 1946, when LAX was transferred from the War Department to the City of Los Angeles. Six armed ÒAirport GuardsÓ and one supervisor were hired to provide physical security over City properties. The Los Angeles Airport Police is now the fourth largest law enforcement agency in Los Angeles County with more than 1,100 law enforcement, security and staff personnel. Los Angeles Airport Police is a division of Los Angeles World Airports, the City department that own and operates three airports in Southern California: LAX, LA/Ontario International and Van Nuys general aviation).
