Junior Public Safety Academy
Public Safety AcademiesA two-week summer academy, created in 2017, that gives young residents hands-on experience with police, fire and first responder work and ends with a graduation.
About the Junior Public Safety Academy
The Chesterfield Township Junior Public Safety Academy was created in 2017 to give young citizens a hands-on learning experience of the public safety profession and to build a productive partnership with the youth of our community. Demonstrations are conducted by police officers, firefighters and other first responders who serve the township.
The two-week academy covers many sides of law enforcement, including leadership skills, conflict resolution, lectures on the laws of arrest, S.W.A.T., defensive tactics, mock traffic stops and traffic laws, accident and crime scene investigation, and first aid and CPR. Students also complete physical training, team-building exercises and structured classroom sessions.
At the end of the two weeks a graduation ceremony is held, and students invite friends and family to celebrate their completion of the program. In 2025 the academy was full with 32 students.
Academy Curriculum
- Leadership skills and conflict resolution
- Lectures on the laws of arrest
- S.W.A.T. demonstration
- Defensive tactics
- Mock traffic stops and traffic laws
- Accident and crime scene investigation
- First aid and CPR
- Physical training and team-building exercises
- Structured classroom sessions
- Demonstrations by police officers, firefighters and other first responders, including the K-9 team
- Graduation ceremony for friends and family
Junior Public Safety Academy Gallery
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Frequently Asked Questions
How long is the academy?
Two weeks, ending with a graduation ceremony that friends and family are invited to attend.
What do students do?
Classroom sessions on leadership, conflict resolution and laws of arrest, plus hands-on work such as defensive tactics, mock traffic stops, crime scene investigation, first aid and CPR, and physical training.
How do I apply?
Download the 2026 application from this page, complete it and return it to the department. Space is limited; the 2025 academy was full with 32 students.
Who runs the academy?
Chesterfield Township police officers, firefighters and other first responders conduct the sessions and demonstrations.
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A paid, part-time path into law enforcement for college students, started in 2022. Of 27 cadets hired, 7 have become Chesterfield officers and 1 a dispatcher.
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