Anyone visiting Calgary’s Heritage Park Wednesday morning must’ve been surprised as the park’s usual piece of the past vibe was juxtaposed with noisy parties, obstacle courses and traffic incidents.
The park has been home to Calgary’s Student Police Academy for more than 20 years. This year’s event featured more than 270 people, including more than 115 students. The event is designed for grade 12 students, who take priority during the application process.
According to Const. Leah Berti, a School Resource Officer with the CPS and an event organizer, the Student Police Academy takes as many students as possible. Applicants must fill out waivers and write a brief paragraph in order to register.
The day is free to attend for students and includes a lunch meal. The event is advertised through social media, school resource officers and guidance counselors, among other ways.
Andrew Michalchuk found the event when checking his emails, something he calls an infrequent task.
“I saw an email from our student counselor saying there was an opportunity to go to the student police academy. I was like, ‘wow, that would be kind of fun,’” the Grade 12 student said.
Throughout the one-day course, students participated in day-to-day police tasks. These included forensic analysis and attending noise complaints, all while wearing a CPS shirt and a police belt fitted with handcuffs and a wooden gun.
Michalchuk said he was excited to interact with the police’s four-legged unit.
“I am looking forward to the canines. I think it is very cool, how they work and their ability to track,” he said.
Students also completed an obstacle course, complete hurdles, baton use and a grip strength test.
“I got 40 seconds, not to brag,” Michalchuk said.
Event allows students to get to know Calgary police ‘without external influences’
A 2023 study found that nearly two-thirds of Canadians felt high confidence in police, a higher proportion than in any other institution measured in the survey.
Despite relatively high police approval, Const. Berti said that training aside, the event allows students to interact with police officers away from duty.
“It’s a great opportunity, especially in this day and age where there’s so many different external influences through social media and everything else, that students have a chance to engage with officers,” she said.
“We dress in plain clothes for this day. They see us outside of uniform, that we’re normal people.”
Const. Berti said that after the event in previous years, she’s spoken with numerous students who were interested in pursuing law enforcement as a career, based on the information they learned during the police academy day.
“I have had numerous students come up to me after the event and say that it really changed their perspective,” she said.
“I take that as a huge win, the fact that they’re sharing that with their friends, that they’re sharing that with their families, that this is something that they’re interested in.”
Michalchuk said that through forensic and physics use, he learned a practical use for his science-based skills. He said that law enforcement may be in his career path going forward.
“I always thought it was just a pathway to go down, after high school, but it’s actually something that people enjoy, they embrace, and I enjoy it,” the 17-year-old said.
Const. Berti said that a resource officer’s role in a school is not simply to police the campus. She said that officers often act as a guide and resource for students who may have questions.
“We’re really there to develop those relationships with students so that they feel comfortable approaching us with things that they wouldn’t feel comfortable approaching an officer off the street or a parent about,” she said.
