More than 1,500 of Honolulu’s junior police officers are due to perform drill skills in a competition this week. 

Junior police officers are elementary school children who help protect their fellow students commuting to and from school from traffic hazards.

Some 4,600 students participate in the program. On Thursday, nearly one third of them — all fifth and sixth graders — are due to gather at Kapiolani Park to perform drills and watch helicopter and working dog demonstrations. They’ll also have a picnic. 

The program trains students and their advisers at about 140 Oahu schools. 

The program has been active for 80 years and is the nation’s only student traffic assistance program. Honolulu’s current police chief, Louis Kealoha, was a junior police officer as a child.