You won’t be able to arrest anyone, so put that thought out of your head.
But if you’re a high school student with a keen interest in getting a behind-the-scenes education in policing, and you have strong leadership capacities, the Youth in Policing Initiative might be for you.
The application process for the provincially funded program is now underway. The Guelph Police Service is looking for three young people for the paid summer placements. The program was established in 2006.
The initiative serves to get youth excited about the idea of pursuing a career as a police officer, while giving them unique opportunities in character development and growth, and to diversify their personal skill sets. At the same time, they will become certified in CPR and First Aid.
Over an eight-week period in the summer, while working regular hours, students will participate with Guelph Police in a number of educational and community activities, all related to policing, community service, and leadership.
Const. Kyle Grant coordinates the program. He said participants benefit greatly from the many opportunities they get to serve the public, while getting a thorough understanding of what police is all about.
“Especially in terms of seeing all the different kinds of units that work at the Guelph Police Service behind the scenes,” Grant said.
Participants get exposure to canine, communications, traffic, and tactical units. They also get to go on a ride-along or two with frontline officers in a strictly observational role.
“Sometimes the public only sees frontline officers and the great work that they do, but there are tons of people working behind the scenes, too,” he added. “That is something these kids are exposed to, and they get to see how many people it takes to run this service.”
The program is open to all students between the ages of 15-18, who live in Guelph. Students must be returning to school in Sept., 2017.
“The big things we look for is a sense of leadership,” said Grant. “We want to see strong communication skills, and we want them to have a strong understanding of their community, and a strong caring for their community.”
A volunteer background is a definite asset.
“We want to see that they’re an impactful member of their school community, and the community where they live,” he added. “We’re looking for the very best people we can find.”
There is an online application here. And resume and cover letter is required in the application process. Both can be uploaded on the site. Applications can also be picked up the Guelph Police Service station at 15 Wyndham St. S. High school guidance offices and community centres also have applications on hand.
Alternatively, students can also pick up applications at the Guelph Police Service station, city high school guidance offices or various community centres.
The application deadline in Sunday, Apr. 23.
For further details, contact Sgt. Angela Grover at 519-824-1212 ext. 7218 or by e-mail at [email protected].
