By By LISA TINDELL – News reporter
Some 21 students are in the middle of a weeklong session of the Alabama Youth Police Academy being held on the campus of Jefferson Davis Community College this week.
Students have already participated in classes that gave them a look at aviation used during investigations and just how crime dogs do their job.
The annual event began six years ago when Clair Sanborn and Chuck McMullen held an Explorer Post as part of a Boy Scout project.
Applications to the Academy are taken and evaluated according to personal and professional references supplied by the applicant, Sanborn said.
During the week, students will be exposed to many different aspects of law enforcement techniques. Although main classes vary from day to day, a program of physical fitness and agility is carried out each day, Sanborn said.
The program requires the work of several offices and agents from area law enforcement agencies and is time consuming for those involved. The manpower needed for the academy could be an expense that would be out of reach for the group if volunteerism weren't so high.
Other groups, organizations and agencies have also helped financially to help make the Academy possible.
The largest expense is the dorm space used to house the students during the weeklong program, Sanborn said. Other large ticket expenses were the T-shirts used for the students as well as the meals.
Those officers working with the group this week are Alvah Carlson, John Peavy, Geoffrey McGraw, Monte McGougin, Ben Rowe, Jeff Beasley, Chuck McMullen, Ed Bennett, Mike Lambert, Rhonda Ray, Beverly Foster, Matthew Foster, Heath Jackson, Phillip Jackson, Samantha Bennett, Gerald McGough, B.C. Cooper, Jason Yoder, Adam Teichner, Chris Turcric, and crime dog agents Officer Gero, Officer Kai and Office Tracker.
Students participating in this year's Academy are: Abe Hildreth, Corey Rilling, Jacorey Powell, Robert Knowles, EmmaLeigh Peavy, Aaron Smith, Courtney Jones, Meagan Cutts, Justin Sanders and Kyle Smith, all of Brewton; Kevin Blackburn and Keifer Blackburn of Summerville; Catie Bowman of Perdido; Lotoya Odom and Jeremy Dunn of Flomaton; Courtney Snipes of Holt, Brianna Bennett of Atmore; Brennan Dykes and James Renfroe of Jay, Chris Lee of Mobile and Octavia Judge of Evergreen.