One Queens high schooler discovered her law enforcement dreams during the Port Authority Police Department (PAPD) Officer Anthony M. Varvaro Youth Academy in July.
Briana Vera, 18, was one of 19 graduates of the week-long program running from July 15-19. The program included high schoolers from northern New Jersey and New York interested in careers in law enforcement.
Vera, who arrived in the United States from Ecuador last year, quickly picked up English while attending the High School for Law Enforcement and Public Safety, located at 116-25 Guy R. Brewer Blvd. in Jamaica. Vera is on a path toward a career in law enforcement and aviation. She is focused on becoming a Port Authority Police Officer after learning that part of their duty involves patrolling some of the world’s largest airports.
Vera plans to join the NYPD’s Youth Explorer Program, with an interim goal of joining the United States Air Force. She is one of many female students with a growing interest in the academy. Of this year’s 19 academy students, 15 were female, up from four in last year’s cohort.
Academy students spent the week in and out of the classroom, learning about the governing laws of New York and New Jersey, CPR training, tourniquet applications and investigatory techniques. Students also interacted with several of the PAPD’s specialized units, including two K-9 officer pairs; Port Authority Police K-9 handers Remo DiPopolo and Eric Brozek, and their respective canine partners Cirri and Xato. Students also visited the World Trade Center campus and viewed the National September 11 Memorial and Museum and One World Observatory.
Founded in 2022, the Port Authority Police Department Officer Anthony M. Varvaro Youth Academy is named in honor of Police Officer Anthony M. Varvaro, who was instrumental in the inaugural class. Officer Varvaro died in a motor vehicle accident on Sept. 11, 2022, on his way to work during 9/11 commemoration events at the World Trade Center. The 94th Street bridge, connecting LaGuardia Airport to East Elmhurst, was named in honor of Varvaro in the spring. Before he became a police officer, Varvaro had a six-year-long career in the Major Leagues playing for the Seattle Mariners, Atlanta Braves and Boston Red Sox.
