FISHERS — Providing a better understanding of the police and what they do is the goal of Fishers Police Departments Annual Teen Academy.
Making a traffic stop, working with k9 units and the dive team, and even working with investigators the Fishers Police Teen Academy gives a real look into their department.
The best part about the teen academy, it’s free.
“I've always had an interest in law enforcement from a young age,” Cameron Theobald said.
Theobald participated in the Teen Academy two years ago.
“Being able to go through and not only get to learn more about law enforcement for myself but to learn from them was a pretty awesome experience,” Theobald said.
He said the academy is active and isn’t in a classroom setting.
“You get into like what the department is really about,” Theobald said, “with forensics, K9, dive, swat all these big things that you know really interest teens within the department.”
He said the experience solidified his future career path.
“I had an interest from a young age but then coming and seeing what my police department is like and seeing if this is something I really want to be a part of and it absolutely is,” Theobald said.
“Unless you open the doors to your building and invite people and no one will ever know what your culture is about or what your agencies about,” Chief of Police Ed Gebhart said.
Chief Gebhart said this academy helps them build relationships with Fishers teens and also opens the door for future officers.
“We have hired from the teen academy eventually and we plan to hire some more from the teeny academy eventually and I think that serves as one way of getting out to the future of tomorrow and they are our future businesses, our future residents, and maybe our future police and it's just an avenue in recruitment and hiring I think that helps us,” Chief Gebhart said.
Participating in the academy opened a door for Theobald to become an intern for the department and a hopeful future fishers police officer.
“I never knew what could possibly happen but you don't know unless you try so going out there and sign up for the free program giving 100% effort and showing up every day with a positive attitude is the best way to go at it,” Theobald said.
The academy runs for four days starting on June 5th.
The deadline to apply for the academy is April 24th, click here to apply.
You must be a Fishers resident to take part in the academy and that’s because there are only 40 spots available.
