This year’s law enforcement career academy will take place at Alpena Community College from Aug. 11 to 15. The Michigan State Police (MSP) partners with the Alpena County Sheriff’s office, Presque Isle County Sheriff’s office, Alcona County Sheriff’s office, Alpena Police Department, Rogers City Police Department, Alpena Fire Department, and Michigan Department of Natural Resources to put on the academy each year.

Anyone ages 16 to 21 can participate in the career academy, which is free of charge, MSP Alpena Post Community Service Trooper Jason Kunath said.

Participants will stay overnight in housing at ACC and all meals will be provided.

The week will conclude with a replication of a typical shift of a police officer.

Courtesy Photo Police career academy participants practice CPR.

Participants will learn different things about criminal investigation and collecting evidence, Kunath said. They will get to experience the investigation process firsthand by reviewing a real case that’s already been solved.

The computer crimes unit will come and talk to attendees about what they do. The lab will come and talk about everything behind the scenes, like fingerprints, DNA testing, and drug testing. Participants will see the mobile crime lab as well, which is used for big crime scenes.

The prosecutor will speak about her end of the case that they review.

Kunath said they are looking at doing a mini trial, where participants will observe a mock crime scene and the prosecutor will ask them questions about it, as if they are asked to give a testimony in a criminal court case.

Attendees will learn report writing, which Kunath said may sound boring but is a fundamental aspect of law enforcement. Police reports need to be written with close attention to detail, a skill that needs to be practiced over time.

Courtesy Photo A student in the police career academy practices using handcuffs.

They will also go through a defensive driving course, where they will have the opportunity to drive patrol cars around the parking lot. They’ll learn evasive maneuvers and emergency braking, among other skills.

Participants will also have a day where it’s all scenarios, he said. A dispatcher will come in, and participants will receive a portable radio to practice being dispatched to calls like what a law enforcement officer would experience in a typical day’s work.

Participants will take field trips to the sheriff’s office, the Alpena Police Department, and the Alpena Fire Department, Kunath said. They will learn first aid training and earn CPR certification by the end of the week.

Organizers of the academy are somewhat limited on what they are allowed to teach, for instance, participants won’t learn how to use a firearm.

The academy is perfect for those that want to explore their career options and see if law enforcement is a good fit for them before pursuing further education. Those interested in the forensics side of criminal investigation are also welcome to sign up.

“If you’re not sure what you want to do and you got a week, it’s free, right, and you’re going to be there with a bunch of students that are about the same age as you,” Kunath said. “You’re going to get to do some fun stuff. I mean, driving the patrol cars is pretty fun.”

Other than CPR certification, participants do not receive any official certifications. It’s an opportunity to explore their options. There will be a graduation ceremony at the end of the week and participants will receive a certificate of completion.

The deadline to apply is July 7.

Contact Tpr. Kunath with questions at kunathj@michigan.gov or at 989-354-4101.

Reagan Voetberg can be reached at 989-358-5683 or rvoetberg@TheAlpenaNews.com.