Bartlett’s 2015 Youth Citizens Police Academy

The Bartlett Police Department provides free and fun programs for youths and adults to educate them about police work. This summer’s recently completed Youth Citizens Police Academy was a one-week course for teens ages 14-16.

They saw demos of K-9 officers taking down suspects, tried their hand at dusting for fingerprints, got a chance to sit inside patrol cars, drove a golf cart while wearing vision-obscuring “drunk” goggles and aimed away at the firing range, to name just a few activities. Department presentations included Crime Scene Investigations, Canine Unit, Traffic Enforcement and Narcotics.

The program lets youths learn, in an educational and non-threatening setting, how the police department deals with issues facing teens today. For information on the next Academy, contact the coordinator, Lt. Todd Halford, at thalford@bartlettpolice.org, or contact Lori Minch at lminch@bartlettpolice.org.

Applications are available at the Bartlett Station Municipal Center, Bartlett Justice Center, Bartlett City Hall, or online.