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BEND, OR -- A hands-on summer youth camp focused on police work takes place this week at Central Oregon Community College. COCC and the Bend Police Department put on the summer camp called “Junior Police Academy.”
Fourteen youngsters between the ages of 10 and 14 learn about traffic and criminal law, forensics and crime scene processing, fingerprinting, firearm safety, self-defense and they’re running a police agility course. 
Bend Police Lt. Clint Burleigh tells KBND News it wasn’t planned this way, but the timing of the camp is helpful given the current national atmosphere of tension regarding law enforcement. “Trying to get the kids in our area that see our police officers and interact with us, just to try and get that understanding and relationship built.” He says spending time with police in a non-threatening setting is good for both parties. “They’re seeing a police officer and they’re learning. People are laughing and the environment is positive. And they’re seeing that we are mothers, fathers, uncles. We’re just the same. We’re just like the mom and dad. We just have a different job.”
The summer camp attendees will also spend time with the K9 police and tactical teams.
Photos Courtesy @BendCityPolice on Twitter.
