Along with being a School Resource Officer (SRO), Shane VanNatter also helps lead the Teen Police Cadet program. The program consists of a variety of students from all over Indiana where they meet every second and fourth Tuesday of the month. VanNatter said he does the program to benefit the cadets rather than anyone else.

He said, “I serve as a mentor and hopefully as a role model and I help facilitate the programs.” VanNatter also said he helps plan and execute meetings with the cadets. For the past two meetings, VanNatter taught the defense tactics for over two days.

“Our last two training sessions were on defensive tactics. We were teaching them how to protect themselves and we were teaching them how police officers use force,” he said. “Like, taking people to the ground safely, handcuffing people, how to properly punch and defend yourself from a punch, restraints, kicks and all general self defense.”

VanNatter said he is preparing for his upcoming meeting where they will learn about drug interdiction.

“We’re going to have a drug interdiction officer come in and teach them what to look for, how to look for hidden compartments in cars when people make compartments to hide drugs in and how they do interdiction,” VanNatter said.

Sneha Srivatsa, former cadet and senior, said the training sessions have impacted her perception of the police force in Carmel.

“We got to simulate almost every aspect of a police officer’s life. It was a really interactive experience. I found it to be very helpful (to learn) about how things work (in the police force),” she said. By Emily Sandy

Click HERE to learn more about the teen police academy taking place this summer, June 18-22.