Three Stockton University students have traded typical summer jobs for badges and a beat, working as certified seasonal Atlantic City police officers on the city’s Boardwalk. Ryan Rafter, Hannah Ellicott and Josh Llancari are taking part in a first-of-its-kind partnership between Stockton Unive rsity and the Atlantic City Police Department that gives students real-world experience in law enforcement. They aren’t interns. The students went through the process required to become seasonal police officers, including training at a police academy, a background investigation and state licensing. “They had to go through a very intensive police academy, background investigation,” Atlantic City Police Deputy Chief Andrew Leonard said. “They had to become licensed through the state.” Rafter is from Union County, Ellicott is from Sussex County and Llancari is from Cape May County. Their summer patrols have already exposed them to some of the realities of police work in the Jersey Shore destination. “Sometimes some things are really crazy, like a bunch of fights happening at once,” Ellicott said. “I was involved in a foot pursuit,” Rafter said. The students are also living in Stockton’s beachfront housing while working in Atlantic City and can earn college credit for their experience. “It’s been pretty eye opening,” Rafter said. “Coming to Atlantic City, I got more experience than I ever could have imagined.” William McKnight, a teaching specialist at Stockton University, said the program gives students a chance to experience the profession beyond the classroom. “It’s a great experience for them outside of the classroom,” McKnight said. “Here, they’re seeing what real police work is.” For Llancari, the experience has reinforced a childhood ambition. “I always wanted to be an officer when I was little,” Llancari said. “I always thought it was cool to see the lights go by.” Asked whether he still wants to become a police officer, Llancari responded, “Oh, yeah, 100%.” Ellicott said her motivation comes down to helping others. “I want to be there to help people. At the end of the day, that’s all this job is — helping people,” she said. This story was originally reported for broadcast by NBC Philadelphia. AI tools helped convert the story to a digital article, and an NBC Philadelphia journalist edited the article for publication. ...read more read less