Bay Pines VA Police Participate in PPHS Annual Law Day
To protect those who served is the motto of the VA Police Service. Bay Pines VA Healthcare System recognizes that, to achieve that mission, its officers must cultivate strong ties within the communities where Veterans live and work.
On March 10, Bay Pines VA’s Police Service refortified its presence in the community through participating in Pinellas Park High School’s (PPHS) Annual Law Day.
“This event offers an opportunity for various agencies to spread knowledge about the full spectrum of jobs that are available in the law enforcement and criminal justice communities,” said Dr. Jalika Waugh, PPHS’ law honor society faculty sponsor and academic team coach. “The concept of ‘service over self’ is constantly reiterated in our justice academy. I believe our students understand the importance of working with our law enforcement partners and, of course, our Veterans.”
During the event, students from PPHS’ Criminal Justice Academy, which is a magnet program within the high school, interacted with 23 different law enforcement agencies from across Pinellas County. The variety of agencies who attended afforded the students an opportunity to learn about the myriad of ways they can become involved in criminal justice.
“It was actually an event like this that inspired me to join the U.S. Army and get into this career field altogether,” said Sgt. Austin Busch, sergeant of patrol operations at Bay Pines VA. “I think it’s important to come to these events to encourage young adults to make good decisions and inspire them to explore a career field that they may not have considered before.”
In addition to Sgt. Busch, Cpl. Luis Delmonte, as well as Cpl. Jeremy Jolley and his K-9 Flash also represented Bay Pines VA. The officers spent time answering student’s questions about what policing at VA entails and provided a tour of Bay Pines VA’s High-Water Utility Vehicle, which was most recently used to aid in Lee County’s rescue efforts in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian.
“Being a police officer at the Department of Veterans Affairs is a little bit different than policing at other agencies because we place the needs of our Veterans above all else,” added Cpl. Delmonte, who is Bay Pines VA’s community service officer. “When a Veteran does something wrong, we don’t jump to arrest them; instead, we educate them on the error and provide resources that will help them avoid making the same mistake going forward.”
Cpl. Delmonte understands that not everyone who attended the event will pursue a career in criminal justice. Even with this fact in mind, the significance of attending events like this one lies in the potential to create a ripple effect of service for generations to come.
“It's important for students to understand that there are many different avenues to law enforcement and serving your community,” Cpl. Delmonte said. “These students are the ones who will take care of us in the future, so we need to do all we can to make sure we educate and guide them.”