The Port Barre Police Department invites area youngsters to apply for the 2015 Junior Police Mentoring Program designed for Port Barre boys and girls from the ages 9- 14 years of age.
According to Port Barre Police Chief Deon Boudreaux, police will teach on topics such as bicycle safety, Anti- Bullying, CPR/ First Aid, Drug Awareness, general child safety concerns, teamwork, the proper method of addressing adults and elders, chivalry, manners, social behavior and more.
According to Chief Boudreaux this is not a bootcamp for ill behaved children but a mentoring program to not only teach them about important life topics but also to help build a trusting relationship between our youth and our police.
“I’ve been wanting to try a program like this since I was first elected Chief of Police in 2008. I’ve wanted to host a Jr. Police program but one that focused more on important life usable education instead of the typical junior police programs that basically focus on a police activity. I’ve had many parents asking for a “bootcamp” for ill behaved kids but I personally don’t like police being used as tactic to scare children into submission. Most police officers cringe when we are in public and a mother point towards us and tells her small child “see that cop? I’m going to make him take you to jail if you don’t behave” or when parents ask us to scare their child because of bad behavior. These actions makes children believe the police are no different than the boogey man. Fear causes hate and disrespect. When those scared little kids grow up, they will not trust the police, they will hate us and when we have to deal with them as adults, they’ll fight us. We want them to grow up to trust us.
Applications can be picked up at the Port Barre Police Department located at 498 Saizan Ave. Port Barre. Please complete the applications and submit them back to the police department by June 8, 2015. The first 32 applicants will be selected for the program. Any questions regarding the program, please contact the Port Barre police department at (337) 585-6212.
