Cadets and cake on hand as Meryl Frank presides over final council meeting

A graduation, a valediction, and a birthday party enlivened last night’s Borough Council meeting.

The graduation was a ceremony honoring 10 young cadets from the borough’s junior police academy program. The six-week program, now in its sixth year, gives a select group of fourth-, fifth-, and sixth-graders a glimpse of what police police work is like from the inside.

Family and friends applauded as certificates were awarded to Yusup Badiev, Jonah Beberman, Julian Burke, Diana Enriquez, Amir-Gabriel Gad, Na-eem Ghee, Mash-ud Hussain, Ariel Martinez, Bailey Nester, and Gabriel Ruano.

The council session then paused for a party in honor of Na-eem Ghee, who celebrated his 11th birthday that same night. Cake and drinks were served in the lobby outside the council chamber.

The academy sessions, conducted in the meeting room of the borough fire department, covered first-aid, tours of the police and fire stations, a rundown of crime-scene investigation techniques, and a chance to accompany police on motor-vehicle stops.  Asked which part of the academy training he enjoyed the most, Ghee said, “Pretty much everything, overall.”

“I thought it would be a fun thing to do,” he said, “and there was some space in my schedule.”

The valediction, of course, was for Mayor Meryl Frank, who noted that last night’s meeting would be her last as mayor of Highland Park. Frank has announced she will step down on Jan. 5, the date of the Borough Council reorganization meeting. Following her resignation, the council will go into closed session to choose her successor.

Frank reminded all present that the duty of the borough’s police officers was to keep the community safe.

“They are nice guys, they are good guys, but they know what they have to do,” Frank said.