By Kaitlyn Richards

Student Writer

Every year the Millis Police Department holds its “Police Leadership Academy”.  This year, the Academy was held for two weeks during the last week of June and the second week of July. The Academy is available for middle school students in the 6th, 7th, or 8th grade. 

The MPD began holding the Academy seven years ago to reach the goal of showing Millis students the ins and outs of police work. 

The principal officers who run the Academy are Detective Dale Bickford and Patrol Officer Zachary Forsythe, who is also the Millis School Resource Officer; and they are assisted by other members of the department. 

Throughout the week, students learned different skills that the police use every day in the community. Students learned how to use radar, defensive tactics, and they learned about the effects of drunk driving. They also learned the proper way to use handcuffs, which organizers say is typically the most popular experience of the week.

Students also got a visit from Millis’ very own K9, Nytro.  

The Academy also stresses the importance of leadership. Students do not only learn different police skills but “students also learn community policing, honesty, and leadership,” said Officer Forsythe. 

Each week in the Academy, there are four squad leaders. “When a particular student is showing great leadership qualities, they get promoted to their group’s squad leader,” said Officer Bickford. 

At the end of every session, they hold a graduation ceremony where each student is presented with a Certificate of Achievement. Students gain valuable life skills, life lessons, and often leave with a different view of the police force than they had before attending. 

“We hope that the students learn that police are like everyone else,” said Officer Bickford. Furthermore, “Dads, moms, siblings, just like everyone else, and the students see us differently after the camp.”