SURREY - Mounties are inviting local high school students to learn how Canada's biggest RCMP detachment operates.
It's accepting applications for its first Youth Police Academy, to run from Sept. 16 to Nov. 4. It's a free eight-week course designed to give Surrey's youth an "inside look" into policing in this city."The Surrey RCMP Youth Police Academy is another way that we are striving to build positive relationships between our officers and young people in the community," said Insp. Ghalib Bhayani, community services officer.Participants will learn about what a patrol officer's day is like, and what officers do in the forensics unit, drug section and major crimes, mental health and addictions unit, police dog services, crime prevention and traffic crash investigations. They'll also learn some basic law and get some insight into the court system.Successful applicants will submit their completed application, available at Surrey.rcmp.ca under "Youth Programs," by June 30. It's open to Surrey students in Grades 10, 11 and 12 as of Sept. 16, 2015.They must complete and pass a criminal records check (no record or impending charges), be eager to learn, engage and participate in the course, and attend all eight sessions, which will be on Wednesday evenings. tom.zytaruk@thenownewspaper.com