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Cambridge Middle School students had the opportunity to experience what being a police officer was like when they participated in the inauguralCambridge Youth Citizens Police Academy.

The goal of the academy was to strengthen relationships between us and the kids," saidRyan Oliver, the school resource officer with the Cambridge Police Department.

Jazlynne Loy,Jasper Payton, both 11, and Gunner Goodman, 13, along with 10 other students spent four days a week for nearly three weeks bonding with and learning from officers from the CPD and the Ohio Highway Patrol.

Students received hands-on experience in a variety of law enforcement tasks. During the first week, students went through a leadership course withLt. Melanie Appleman of the Highway Patrol, learning to march in formation, defense tactics, handcuffing and restraints,use of force and what it means, and crime scene investigation with the FBI.

With the FBI, students went through a mock crime scene and completed shoe casting, lifted finger prints and were shown how to investigate the scene.

Gunner, who wanted to participate because he wants to be a police officer, saidhandcuffing and restraints along with learning to talk someone down when entering a building were his favorite activities.

During week two, students toured the police department with Capt. Dave Peoples and saw the day-to-day operations of the department. While there they participated in a building search and learned the procedures followed by the officers for clearing a room .

Jazlynne said her favorite thing was thetour of the police station.

"They take calls and stuff and go out andto save people," Jazlynne said, adding she didn't realize the officers did so much.

Also during the second week, students were introduced to department's SWAT teams and K9s, received CPR, first aid and stop the bleed training.

"God forbid there is ever an active shooter at the school, the kids will be trained withthe same training the staff has," Oliver said. "So if we ever have that at the schools, the kids will know how to apply tourniquets, how to package wounds stuff like that."

During the final two days, students went to the firing range where they received instruction on gun safety. They were able to fire 22 caliber rifles the assistance of officers and troopers and use a shooting simulator.

Jasper liked the defense tactics and learning to talk to people who have a weapon.

The final day was just a day for the officers to hang out with the youths and have fun with them. They spent the day at Deerassic Park doing archery tag, canoeing, kayaking, water safety and fishing, according to Oliver, who described it a bonding day.

"We want the kids to realize we are not these intimidating people, but that we are everyday people just like them and that there is no reason for them to be scared or intimidated of us when we are here to help them," Oliver said. "We want to strengthen the relationship between us and the kids.

Jazlynne, Jasper and Gunner said they really enjoyed hanging out with the officers and they had a lot of fun with them. Each of them also said they would do the academy again if they could.

The idea for the youth academy came from Police ChiefMark DeLancey who thought if they could do an adult academy then why couldn't they do a youth version.

The youth academy, which Oliver hopes will become a yearly thing, is designed for students in sixth through eighth grades.

Oliver believes that middle school is the time when students are easily influenced and he is hoping developing relationships with them at this age will help them stay on the right path through life.

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