Seven young men and two young women cadets are now part-time employees of the Police Department. During their three-year cadet program, they will observe and participate in many different facets of police work and acquire the skills and knowledge necessary to become a police recruit. They won't carry guns or have arrest powers, but in Phase II they will work with officers and detectives in a mentor program to learn police duties in patrol, records, dispatch, juvenile aid, criminal investigations and community policing.

This cadet program is designed to appeal to recent high school students who are interested in becoming a police officer but aren't old enough to apply for the job or anyone else interested in pursuing a law enforcement career. The goal is to give the cadets the same training as police recruits get but at a slower pace. That way, they can make a seamless transition into an abbreviated police recruit class when they reach age 21, the minimum age requirement for becoming a police officer.

The cadets will also have the chance to participate in the Police Department's Police Cadet Tuition Reimbursement Program for completing classes at the University of Hawaii at Hilo or Hawaii Community College. The college experience will broaden their backgrounds, expand their academic skills and prepare them for future advancement in the Police Department.

The cadets will work three hours per week the first year and up to 19 hours per week the second and third years, earning $18.45 an hour.