Teens looking for something to do this summer might want to check out the Pleasanton Police Department’s Teen Academy, which starts Thursday, July 6. This is the fourth year the police department has held the academy for youth ages 14-17.
“I think students in the program, for one, get the experience of learning about the police department and get to see if police work is something they’re really interested in,” said Detective Penelope Tamm, who is coordinating the academy this year. “They get an inside view of the police department and get to meet and interact with the police officers.”
The academy lasts for seven weeks and is held Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3-5 p.m. During the session, students will learn about all aspects of police work through hands-on demonstrations.
“One day we’ll have a class on the SWAT team where they’ll learn about what the team does and see the equipment,” Tamm explained. “They’ll also get a tour of the station, and in one class we’ll set up a crime scene where they’ll learn about how evidence is processed.”
Students will also meet the canine unit, learn about traffic stop procedures and find out more about the D.A.R.E program (Drug Abuse Resistance Education). Most of the students in the program are those who are interested in pursuing law enforcement as a career, said Tamm.
To be eligible for the program, students must first fill out an application where they explain why they are interested. Students must also be Pleasanton residents and cannot have had any problems with law enforcement in the past.
“We’re just looking for a kid who is going to be interested, respectful, enthusiastic and looking to have a good time,” Tamm said.
So far, 10 students are enrolled in the program, and there is space left for two to three more.
The Teen Academy was started four years ago in an effort to reach out and develop partnerships with the youth in the community, Tamm said. Several students who have gone through the Teen Academy have later enrolled in the department’s Police Explorer Program, a year-long program where students can get an in-depth look at police work and also help with community events.
“It’s almost a continuation of really getting that hands-on experience,” Tamm said of the Explorers program. “It is good experience when you go out in the world, whether you are going to work or college after school.”
Students interested in enrolling in the Teen Academy can get an application by called Tamm at 931-5233.
