KINGMAN — While most local promotions and graduations wrapped up earlier this month, one final ceremony brought a different kind of accomplishment to center stage. Sixteen middle‑school students marched down the aisle at the Lee Williams High School auditorium this week as the 2026 class of the Kingman Junior Police Academy officially graduated.
The month‑long program, held Monday through Thursday, immerses cadets in a blend of law‑enforcement instruction and practical life‑skills training. Kingman Police Chief Rusty Cooper said the academy remains one of the department’s most valued traditions.
“It is something I’m very proud to be part of,” Cooper said. “Our previous chief implemented it close to 20 years ago, and I consider it a flagship program for us. It’s something we really value and wish to hold onto.”
More than 700 students have completed the academy since its inception in 2006, with several eventually joining the Kingman Police Department as adults. Cooper noted that this year’s class was selected from a large pool of interested students.
“The 16 students in this class are fortunate to have been selected,” he said. “It’s a very popular program, and it just continues to grow. Parents and guardians really encourage their kids to be a part of it.”
The academy is operated by the department’s School Resource Officers under the supervision of Sgt. Phil Hudgens, who also serves at Kingman Academy. The instructional team includes Officer Jack King, who works at Kingman and White Cliffs middle schools as well as Manzanita and Desert Willow elementaries, and Officer Ashley Walker, SRO for Lee Williams High School and Hualapai Elementary.
Hudgens said watching the cadets’ transformation over the four‑week course is one of the most rewarding parts of the job.
“It’s always rewarding for us to watch them from what they are on day one — a group of young, scared individuals not knowing what to expect — to what we see after four weeks,” Hudgens said. “It’s an amazing 180‑degree turn around, and we really enjoy watching them grow through that experience.”
Families, officers, and school staff gathered to celebrate the graduates, who received certificates and posed for photos marking the completion of their training.
