Now in its 20th year, the Junior Police Academy has built a nationwide program based on a simple, yet powerful premise: when law enforcement officers and young people are brought together, wonderful things start to happen!

In re-framing the traditional role of a police officer to that of a mentor,  JPA elevates young people to be pro-active partners in building safer schools and communities.

Targeting middle school students, the program is a more than just a police academy for young people – it also teaches life skills and cultivates personal accountability.

“The youth who graduate from the JPA have a deep sense of responsibility,” said Officer Mitchell Garcia of the Houston Police Academy, Houston, Texas  “Cadet are community oriented. They will become the adults who want to make a difference.”

After two decades, the program’s impact can be measured across an entire generation.

Today, there are citizens throughout the country who better understand their civic responsibilities because of JPA - who are empowered to contribute to the life of their community and their country in ways that enhance public safety and solve problems.

Advanced Citizenship

“In this country, we are called to an ‘advanced citizenship’ which can only be realized when young citizens understand that they are stakeholders in our democracy,” said JPA Advisory Council member Chief Tom Clemons of Seward, Alaska. “The Junior Police Academy often marks the start of a young person actively assuming their lifelong role as an informed citizen – extending the program’s true impact far into the future.”

"The JPA Cadets love every minute of it,” said Chief Chad Pusey of the Oblong Police Department in Illinois. “The school administrators are very impressed as are city officials.  I've had many positive comments from parents and teachers stating that homework has been getting done and the grades are improving from the cadets who are in the program."

For more information, visit JuniorPoliceAcademy.org.

Junior Police Academy

Junior Police Academy is a nationwide youth program motivating young people to be outstanding citizens through law enforcement education. An outgrowth of community policing, JPA transforms the traditional role of the police officer into one of mentor and friend, while  encouraging our young citizens to be partners in building safer schools and communities.

Now in its 20th year, the Junior Police Academy supports the efforts of police departments  and educators across the country. "We have created a program that transforms police officers from merely responding to crime to being a powerful,  pro-active force in creating a safe, crime-free learning  environment," says spokesperson Phil LeConte. "On school campuses where JPA has been introduced, the drop in crime has been remarkable."

Transformed

"Young people do not understand what police officers do and why they do it. They don't understand the role of law enforcement in a community," observes Officer Mitchell Garcia of the Houston Police Department. "But when we take the mystery out of law enforcement procedures and policies - young people's attitudes toward police and their role in society is transformed."

Tomorrow's Leaders

Targeting middle school and high school students, the program  is a police academy for young people. While our graduates  are not police officers, they are the community leaders of tomorrow -- instilled with an appreciation and respect for law enforcers and their role in society.

National Office

The central office of the Junior Police Academy is located in Austin, Texas, but our leadership of the program has impact nationwide.

Now in its 20th year, the Junior Police Academy, brings the world of law enforcement into the nation's classrooms -- coordinating and directing the efforts of police departments and educators in this relatively new  field of study.

While the program is ultimately dependent on the dedication and talents of law-enforcement instructors across the country, our national office works tirelessly to provide the program  direction, leadership, the finest educational resources  and the expertise.

Among our many functions, the national office:

• Provides a constant source of updated and fresh program materials.

• Hosts conferences and provides a forum in which our advisory council meets to guide the program.

• Provides consultation to communities in the establishment and maintenance of a program.

• Directs and coordinates national media and PR campaigns.

• Sponsors annual “Future Law Enforcers of America Month” nationally.

• Visits and addresses gatherings and graduation ceremonies of regional programs.

• Provides training materials for JPA instructors.

• Creates legal release forms and student applications.

• Publishes organizational publications and newsletters.

• Facilitates networking among national programs and instructors.

• Provides trademarked items for cadets and instructors.

• Maintains organization’s website and educational content on the internet.

• Coordinates national fundraising and development efforts.

• Promotes community policing as an effective strategy in securing public safety.