by Malcolm Butler
In a day and age where it is becoming increasingly difficult to serve in law enforcement, building relationships with citizens is even more paramount.
That’s what members of the Lincoln Parish Sheriff’s Office did during the course of its 4th annual three-day Youth Cadet Academy: build relationships.
Eleven area youth — eight males and three females — ranging from grades six through eight spent time interacting with area law enforcement officers and first responders while learning some of the ropes of the profession.
“Our main goal is always to build relationships with the kids,” said LPSO Deputy Chief Landon Hunt. “We want them to see what we do on a daily basis and learn from it. This allows them to see that our deputies are just normal human beings, just like everybody else.
“This academy allows us to build that relationship between us and them at a young age. They see they can trust us and understand they can come to us when they need to.”
Hunt also said he hopes that the LPSO or local law enforcement agencies will eventually get some potential members down the road.
“Hopefully, one day we will get some recruits out of this,” said Hunt.
This year’s class got an up-close look at a variety of subjects, including defensive tactics and weapons retention, effects of alcohol and drugs, investigations and fingerprinting, and traffic stops.
Day two of the academy saw the participants work a mock crime scene, with all eleven having various roles in the exercise. They then toured the jail and participated in a mock trial during the afternoon with Third Judicial District Judge Bruce Hampton overseeing it.
Cedar Creek ninth grader Preslee Prince was one of this year’s cadets.
“It’s a lot of fun,” said Prince who served as an investigator during the mock trail. “We learned a lot.”
Lilly Boyd, who is entering 7th grade at Downsville Charter, echoed Prince’s sentiments.
“I was told about it, and I heard there were guns,” said Boyd. “I like guns. It’s been pretty cool. I learned how to put on a tourniquet.
“Out of all of it, I really enjoyed touring the jail and the weapons retainer.”
The final day of the academy saw the campers participate in a physical fitness test on an obstacle course at the LPSO gun range. They also did some skeet shooting and experienced both K9 and SRT demonstrations.
Hunt said that the academy continues to be a success every year and eventually thinks some of the participants could choose law enforcement as a career.
“A number of them seem very interested every year,” said Hunt. “Not only in law enforcement, but within the entire criminal justice system. There were several who sat in with the district attorney and the judge during the mock trial who seemed interested in going to law school one day.
“We hope it will bring some of these young kids into the criminal justice system.”
