The Statesboro Police Department will hold their second Teen Police Academy in July, where teens can gain hands-on experience training like a real police officer. 

This week-long course will be offered at the SPD office on Grady St. July 14-18, noon to 3 p.m. each day, with lunch provided. Participants must be 14 to 17 years old and reside in Bulloch County.

Statesboro Police Chief Mike Broadhead said Academy spots are limited and he encouraged interest teens to apply long before the June 18 deadline. Applications may be picked up in the SPD lobby at 25 W. Grady St., Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., or requested via a direct message to any of the SPD’s official social media pages.

“We are trying to fill in the gaps we’ve had and make sure the teenagers know that we are here for them and what we do,” Broadhead said.

Broadhead said the Academy is designed specifically for teens who want to learn more about future careers in law enforcement, forensics and criminal justice. During the program week, teens will gain hands-on experience working directly with officers doing activities like mock crime scene investigations and working with evidence, taking on the pre-employment obstacle course officers are required to complete, learning with special operations and the K9 unit and learning how to prevent crime.

Chief Broadhead said that prior police departments he has worked at have operated programs that focus on crime scene investigation. The SPD, however, will incorporate a broader approach to what police officers do in their Teen Police Academy in July.

Throughout the week-long course, teens will work side-by-side with SPD officers to explore various career paths one could have with a police department, Broadhead said.

The mission of this program is to connect with citizens of Statesboro while helping teenagers explore different career paths available to them after high school.

“I just want them to see that the police are human beings,” Chief Broadhead said. “What we want them to do is go away with a sense that the police are working with them.”

For additional information about the Academy, contact (912)-764-9911, extension 2356.