Police Department holds graduation ceremony July 20 for Youth Police Academy

Online Staff Report

The Rockford Police Department will graduate 32 students from the Youth Police Academy at a graduation ceremony at noon, Friday, July 20, at Patriots Gateway Community Center, 615 S. Sixth St.

The Rockford Police Department hosted the Youth Police Academy July 17-20, targeting children ages 13-17.

The Youth Academies are made possible through a grant from the Community Foundation of Northern Illinois. The Rockford Police Department partners with the Winnebago County Sheriff’s Department, Rockford Park District and Winnebago County Juvenile Probation Department in putting on the academies.

The academy was formed to provide a fun and educational view of police work while providing teen-agers with an opportunity to learn about a possible future vocation in a summer day camp setting. The kids learn about what police do and have a structured format to explore a variety of enrichment activities. The academy allows officers and students to interact with each other in a positive environment.

Posted July 19, 2012