Students explore careers with the Lethbridge Police Service

By Alejandra Pulido-Guzman - Lethbridge Herald on June 8, 2022.

Herald photo by Alejandra Pulido-Guzman Sgt. Denton Michelson showcases some of the equipment the Lethbridge Police Services Tactical Team uses on the field to a group of high school students Tuesday during the annual Youth Police Academy at the Lethbridge Police Station.

LETHBRIDGE HERALDapulido@lethbridgeherald.com

A group of high school students had the opportunity to take part in the Lethbridge Police Service Annual Youth Academy Tuesday to get acquainted with what it means to be a police officer.
This year marked the 6th annual youth academy and its return to in-person sessions with 16 high school students who have shown interest in a policing career.
Students had the opportunity to spend the day surrounded by officers from various departments and were able to get hands on experience in various tasks.
Sgt. Denton Michelson with the Tactical Team showed the students some of the equipment and gear they use on the field while explaining the types of situations they would be called out to help.
Some students had the opportunity to try on a vest and also use a remote controlled robot.
Constable Allister Koop, recruiting officer for LPS, said he took part in a similar program as youth and now enjoys seeing students year after year do the same.
“It gave me a kind of behind the scenes glimpse of what this job actually is and kind of ignited a fire in me to do this job and serve my community,” said Koop.
He said programs like this help high school students either solidify or rectify their desire to become police officers and helps them find the answer to the question: what you want to be when you grow up?
Although not everyone struggles to answer that question. Tayshaun Small Eyes, a Grade 11 student at LCI, said he has wanted to become a police officer since he was seven years old.
“I just wanted to follow up on that and come here just to learn some of the ins and outs of it,” said Small Eyes.
He said he really enjoyed having the opportunity to try on some body armour and was looking forward to seeing the K-9 unit.
“It was heavy and I wear a lot of heavy clothing, I didn’t think it was going to be that heavy but that was probably my favourite part,” said Small Eyes.
Some of the students that get involved with the Youth Academy do it through their Youth Engagement officers at their school.
Cst. Chris Andrade, YEO at Victoria Park High School, said he has been approached by students asking about his career while at the school.
“Through those schools we work with the administrators to identify typically Grade 11 and 12 students who are interested in policing and that we’ve had relationships with over the years,” said Andrade.
He said another big part of the Youth Academy is to use it as a recruiting tool, because students at that point are coming into the age where they can decide for post-secondary purposes if policing is something that they are going to be interested in and just to see what a true day in the life of a police officer looks like in Lethbridge.
“Some of the big takeaways for the kids are just going to be true insight into how many different fields there are within policing.”
He said many students were surprised to find out there are different divisions within the department, and they wear different uniforms, where the criminal investigative division were in plain clothes for example.

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