Malia Riggs
Elmore Autauga News
The Millbrook Police Department conducted a week-long camp aimed at educating kids on the everyday workings of being a police officer at the Junior Police Academy. From watching local and beloved teachers and coaches get tased and pepper sprayed, to getting a police helicopter demonstration was all a part of the week-long course
Local elementary, middle and high school aged kids participated in the educational festivities all last week. The week highlighted many of the duties police officers can face on a weekly basis.
While many situations police officers face can be intimidating or scary, Lieutenant Stephen Youngblood and SRO Corporal Kirsten White with the Millbrook Police Department, made hostage negotiation, car stops and searches, crime scene investigation and even baton and handcuffing educational and engaging for the young minds of Millbrook.
Youngblood and White have spearheaded the program the last three years in Millbrook, and before they took over the program it was a standing tradition for many years prior.
“The purpose of the Junior Police Academy is to give the children a way to understand and see what police officers do, what they go through on a daily basis, some of our training and just some of the fun things about law enforcement in general,” Youngblood said.
The mission of the Millbrook Police Department for the Junior Police Academy is to provide an atmosphere to engage the youth of Millbrook with a positive law enforcement experience. To highlight and enhance life skills through character building, promote good citizenship, explore the inner workings of a police department and to build teamwork.
“My favorite part is really interacting with the children and just letting them see that there is a more fun side to law enforcement than just arresting people. But getting to tase and pepper spray one of the teachers is always a highlight too,” Youngblood said with a laugh.
