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

This three-week course will be offered at the SPD office on Grady Street July 8–29, on Wednesdays from 1 p.m. 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 interested teens to apply long before the June 19 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.

"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 about the Academy.

Broadhead said the program is designed specifically for teens who want to learn more about future careers in law enforcement, forensics and criminal justice. During the program, 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.

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

"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 Community Information Specialist Ruth Atchley at ruth.atchley@statesboroga.gov.