The next wave of police officers could be among the 24 students who just completed a grueling eight days of training at the Delta Police Student Academy.
The Grade 11/12 students, representing all seven Delta secondary schools, were put through the paces both inside and outside the classroom.
“The idea of the academy is to give students who are potentially interested in a career in law enforcement an idea of what it would be like,” said head instructor Const. Mike Atkinson. “It is set up as a mini police academy with a range of topics that they participate in.”
Students tested themselves on the high ropes course at Trinity Western University, firearms training at the Langley Rod and Gun Club, driver training in Maple Ridge and the POPAT (Police Officers Physical Ability Test) at the Justice Institute of B.C. in New Westminster. There was also classroom instruction and lectures from officers in the drug section and major crimes.
“It’s a full day every day we are in session,” said Atkinson. “We want to give the students a complete look at the full policing model.”
Now in its 13th year, the academy works with school counsellors to identify suitable applicants during the school year. More than 60 applications were received this year. Each applicant had to complete an essay, went through physical testing and an interview as part of the selection process.
Over the years, some students who have gone through the academy have been hired by Delta, other municipal policing agencies or the RCMP.
“There is also a benefit in that if they were thinking about a career in law enforcement and they do the academy and they decide this is not the career for them, it will save them some time later on,” he said. “But it is also beneficial because they get a great letter from the police department saying they’ve completed an intensive eight-day police academy and so if they are looking for other jobs in the community or other educational institutes, it will certainly make their application more competitive.”
Jessica Goodfellow, who recently graduated from South Delta Secondary, said she has always wanted to have a career in policing and felt the academy was a good start in pursuing that goal.
“I really wanted to see if it would be a fit for me. The academy has gone beyond my expectations,” she said.
Goodfellow plans to study psychology at UVic in the fall with an eye towards law enforcement.
For Delta Secondary grad William Spencer, he already sees himself putting the uniform on one day as a full-fledged officer.
“This has been a great experience; really challenging, but really rewarding too,” he said. “I will be going to SFU in September and taking criminology. I want to also volunteer with Delta. I want to become a police officer one day for sure.”
