Twenty-five high school students from Kent participated in the three-day Kent Police Department Teen Academy.
They learned about different divisions in the department including detectives, traffic, special operations, SWAT and the Civil Disturbance Unit, according to a Kent Police social media post. The academy was June 25-27 at the Kent Police and Fire Training Center, 24523 116th Ave. SE.
The King County Sheriff’s Office Guardian One helicopter landed for a visit. Teens shot simulation rounds, took part in mock building clearing, tracked speeding cars with the lidar gun and completed a physical agility test, which was not easy.
Parents and friends attended the graduation ceremony. Kent Mayor Dana Ralph and Police Chief Rafael Padilla handed out certificates and thanked the teens for their participation. The academy was set up for students interested in law enforcement or who just wanted to learn about the job of an officer.
Ralph asked what their favorite things were from the week, each hand that went up shared different experiences.
“Our favorites were those that talked about building relationships with the officers that took a lot of time to work with them and not only teach them about the job of law enforcement, but also tell a few jokes along the way,” according to a Kent Police statement.
The academy was open to 2024-2025 school year sophomores, juniors, seniors and 2024 graduates.
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The King County Sheriff’s Office Guardian One helicopter stops by the Kent Police Teen Academy. COURTESY PHOTO, Kent Police
High school students spent three days at the Kent Police Teen Academy learning about the operations of the police department and participating in activities. COURTESY PHOTO, Kent Police
