Carnival raises money for educational cadet program

The Cadet Street Carnival, a three-day event hosted by the USC Dept. of Public Safety, wrapped up Sunday after hosting more than 40 rides and games that students and members of the community could enjoy.

The carnival serves as a yearly fundraiser for DPS’s cadet program.

“[The cadet] program is designed to give youth 12 to 21 years old an opportunity to learn about law enforcement and public
safety,” DPS Capt. David Carlisle said.

The program has been in effect for several years and provides 96 hours of academic, physical conditioning and experimental classes.

“Students wear uniforms and assist officers with crowd control at football games,” Carlisle said.

Students are also required to maintain a certain grade point average and participate in weekly study halls.

“The DPS cadet program is a highly disciplined program and opens up lots of opportunities,” Carlisle said. “Some cadets have gone on to become law enforcement officers at DPS and others have received scholarships and grants for college.

The carnival began Friday on Hoover Street, blocking traffic between Jefferson Boulevard and 28th Street going both ways, and also re-routing city buses. The street reopened Monday.