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SHELBY TOWNSHIP — Registration is open for the 2023 Shelby Township Police Department Youth Law Enforcement Academy.
The academy is designed to teach students about the Police Department and the jobs that first responders do, while time teaching leadership and communication skills.
The academy will run 8 a.m.-2 p.m. Mondays-Fridays July 17-July 28. Classes will be held at the Shelby Township Senior Activities Center, 14975 21 Mile Road. The Youth Law Enforcement Academy is open to students who are in the fifth or sixth grades at the time of the application.
Shelby Township Police Sgt. Mark Benedettini said this academy is extremely popular with kids in the community, and the officers look forward to hosting it every year.
“The Youth Law Enforcement Academy is taught by Police Officers with the Shelby Township Police Department, and it is a 10-day program designed to teach students teamwork, leadership, communication skills and give them an introduction to the skills and equipment that their first responders use on a daily basis,” he said in an email.
The academy also features a mock crime, where students will work in groups during the course of the academy to solve a crime. They will learn how to collect evidence, including fingerprints; they will see K-9 demonstrations, and they will interact with the Tactical Response Unit.
The academy is free, and a graduation ceremony is held on the final day of the academy at the Police Department.
To apply, visit the department’s website and return the completed application, along with a letter of recommendation from a teacher, to Benedettini. Completed applications can be emailed to mbenedettini@shelbytwp.org or dropped off at the Police Department. Spots for the academy are limited to 28 kids.
The academy is free for attendees. Applications for the academy are also available at the Police Department, or they can contact Benedettini at (586) 731-2121, ext. 358. For questions, call Benedettini.
