TERRE HAUTE — More than 350 Wabash Valley youth will have a better understanding of law enforcement and fighting crime after spending a week this summer in the Junior Police Academy.
The final class of students will graduate today after an action-packed week of activities that simulate real police officer training.
“We try to give the kids a positive view of police officers,” said Capt. Phil Haley of the Terre Haute Police Department. Haley is one of many volunteers who organize and oversee three weeklong academies aimed at children in grades 4-6.
“It is a mini-academy, so we try to duplicate what we do at the officer academy,” Haley said.
But rather than real firearms, the youth are instructed with paintball guns. Instead of police cars, they drive a course in golf carts. They learn defensive tactics, make a field trip to either the federal prison, county jail or the fire training center, and they hear about the drug task force, field sobriety tests, fire fighting, the sheriff’s horseback posse, emergency medical helicopters, and more.
It’s a lot of information crammed into five days, but the children seem to drink it in and ask for more. Thursday afternoon, a demonstration by a canine team included a locker search for drugs at Honey Creek Middle School, where this summer’s final academy session was conducted.
The junior police academy began eight years ago with about 45 youth in the first class taught by members of the Terre Haute Police Department. It has grown to three sessions per summer with the assistance of the West Terre Haute and Indiana State University police departments, along with the Vigo County Sheriff’s Department.
“It’s a really nice thing for our departments to cooperate and work with the kids,” Haley said.
One of the first things all junior officers learn is to march from event to event. It not only keeps kids in line, but it teaches some of the discipline needed to be a police officer.
While some of the youth have been inspired by a family member in law enforcement, many are children just wanting to find out how the police operate.
Rachel Cary, 18, has been an academy counselor for the past four years, and has attended 18 week-long sessions in the past seven years. It is her hope to become a police officer when she turns 21.
“I like the police officers,” Cary said of her motivation for continued involvement in the camp. “They are great people to hang around with. Plus, I like the kids.”
Cary will be a senior at West Vigo High School in the fall, and already serves as a certified firefighter with the Shepardsville Fire Department.
“I pretty much enjoy all of it,” Cary said of the many academy activities the children experience.
A talent show is planned among today’s activities, which will be capped off by a graduation ceremony featuring local police officials and Terre Haute Mayor Duke Bennett. All of the academy participants will get a DVD of the week’s activities and the graduation ceremony.
Other sessions were conducted at North Vigo High School in early July and at Sarah Scott Middle School in June. Youth interested in participating in next year’s academy should look for sign-up information next spring at county schools.
Lisa Trigg can be reached at (812) 231-4254 or lisa.trigg@tribstar.com.
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Learning the Law: Junior Police Academy draws more than 350 Wabash Valley kids
Academy has grown to three session per summer
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