Youth Police Academy

                           The 2022 Youth Academy is filled to capacity at this time.  

                            We will re-open registration in the event spots open up.                                                                             

  

The Princeton Police Department is hosting its annual Youth Academy. The purpose of the Youth Academy is to provide young citizens with an introduction to Law Enforcement. Our goal is to motivate young people to be outstanding citizens and empower them to act as a positive influence in our community. The academy provides an opportunity for officers and students to see each other as people, rather than as adversaries. It will also transform the traditional role of the police officer into a mentor and a friend, while encouraging our young citizens to be partners in building safer schools and communities. While the students that attend the academy may not want to become police officers in the future, the program instills a confidence and sense of achievement that will benefit them for years to come.

The Youth Academy will cover a multitude of topics including, Social Media, Bullying, Motor Vehicle Law, DWI Enforcement, Crime Scene and Evidentiary Processing, Active Shooter Scenarios, and a K-9 demonstration among other topics. We will begin each day with light physical training and military drill.

The academy will be held from August 1st to August 5th from 8:30 a.m. to approximately 1:30 p.m with the exception of Graduation Day (August 5th) which will end at 3:00.  Spots are limited to 20 per class and will be filled as the applications are submitted and approved by our staff. There is no cost for the program but all recruits must be accepted through the application process.

Due to the cancellation of last year’s academy, we provided recruits from last year with the opportunity to apply before allowing new prospects to apply.  This process leaves us with ten remaining openings for our August 2022 class.  Please submit the application here and forward a reference/sponsor letter to cnavas@princetonnj.gov to be considered for this year’s academy.  


Eligibility Qualifications

The Youth Police Academy will be open to any students who will be entering 6th, 7th, or 8th grade in September of the current year who also attend a public or private school in Princeton, NJ. If a student is entering 9th through 12th grade, they are eligible to be a counselor and help the officers throughout the duration of the academy. If a student does not attend a school in Princeton but they wish to attend the academy, they may submit an application and their acceptance will be based upon availability.

Details

Participants who attend will be given a t-shirt which they will need to wear on a daily basis. Those who attend will also need to bring lunch Monday through Thursday (lunch will be provided on Friday). Drop off will be in the police lobby between 8 a.m. and 8:15 a.m.

It is our hope that this program will educate the participant and help create a stronger bond between the police officers and the youth of our community.

For more information on the Princeton Police Department Youth Academy please contact Officer Courtney Navas or Officer Kim Carter.