Junior Police Academy Gives Middle Schoolers Bird's Eye View of Law Enforcement

Tailored after the successful Citizen's Police Academy adult program, Pennsylvania law enforcement officers are conducting a Junior Police Academy this summer.

The program, which will give youth a bird's eye view of police work—including crime scene investigations, the SWAT team, bomb and K-9 units, accident investigations, and how the justice system works—is for city youth entering the sixth, seventh, and eighth grades.

Attending youth will receive lessons with regard to crimes and laws pertinent to their lives, such as curfews, graffiti, underage drinking, disorderly conduct, criminal mischief, and skateboarding regulations.

"It's pretty much an overall view of what the police department does while providing kids with a better understanding of the laws we enforce," says Scranton (Pa.) PD's Chief David Elliott. "We're trying to open up the lines of communication between police and children."

The Scranton Times Tribune reports the program will run August 20-24 and that applications will be accepted on a first-come, first-serve basis. Approximately 30 to 35 students will be eligible to participate. All program costs will be paid for by a state grant through the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency.