GEORGETOWN, Ky. (LEX 18) — Kids are climbing and crawling at an obstacle course all a part of Georgetown Police Department's Junior Citizens Academy for kids ages 13 to 17.
One 13-year-old, Noah Lindon, says, "It's actually been really fun. It's pretty much what I’ve been looking forward to all week. Get to run around, do all the balance stuff and jump over fences."
During this free week-long academy, Georgetown police say the goal is to connect with the younger generation and create positive interactions with law enforcement. Kids have learned more about divisions within the department like the K-9 unit, criminal investigations, the drone unit, negotiators, SWAT and more that many of them say they didn't realize existed.
Another 13-year-old, Chanelle Davis, says, "It could help me motivate myself, mostly see what I am capable of."
There are about 22 kids participating in the first academy and many of them say that they're interested in careers in law enforcement themselves. The overall goal of this academy is to change the perception of law enforcement in this community.
Davis says, "I am thinking about going to be a policeman when I grow up and mostly I like to see the way they work and how educational it could be."
After nearly three decades in law enforcement, Georgetown's police chief says it's encouraging to see so many young people wanting to continue the work in the future. He says over time interest has waned, but he hopes programs like this one show all the profession has to offer.
Chief Darin Allgood says, "I can remember being this age, hanging around the police department as much as I could and taking classes in high school and of course college and getting to know the officers so I look back and say wow, that's what really connected me is what really caught my eye, because I remember officers that I looked up to that I wanted to be like one day so I think that, that's been the important part."
Lindon says, "I don't wanna just throw my life away, I want to be able to help people and get them through hard times and stuff. I feel like... A lot of people think cops are bad but that's not the way it is."
The department is working to shape future generations' outlook on law enforcement.
