RCMP Youth Academy Prepares Students for Careers in Law Enforcement

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Story provided by Chelsea Isenor, Director of Communications and Board Administration

For 14 years, the RCMP Youth Academy in the Kamloops-Thompson School District has offered unique, challenging, and hand-on learning experiences for secondary students (ages 16-18) who are interested in potential careers in police work, law enforcement, or corrections. This yearly event supports the District's Career Development goal of ensuring every learner will have plans for who they aim to become through their career pathway.

This year’s RCMP Youth Academy ran from March 12–16, 2025 at Pineridge Education Centre and welcomed 10 students – six from SD73 and four from schools outside of our district, including Skeetchestn, Kamloops Christian School, and Correlieu Secondary School in Quesnel.

The Academy started with an opening smudging ceremony led by Métis Elder Dory Laboucane who encouraged the students to think about who they are and who they wanted to become. This ceremony was a way of grounding the youth and adults on the land to be reflective about who they are as they began this week of law enforcement education.

Following the Opening Ceremony, Superintendent Jeff Pelley welcomed the students and shared how the Academy offers students a variety of experiences and skills they can take with them into their lives and future careers. Superintendent Pelley then offered the student their first lesson, introducing a skill they would utilize throughout the Academy and beyond – investigators notes skills and the importance of note taking.

Over five days, Kamloops RCMP Corporal Dana Napier guided the student troop through a schedule of lessons, lectures, drills, hand-on learning, simulations, and more. The Academy offered a variety of activities and experiences that a police cadet would experience, led by local RCMP, industry experts, and community partners, including fitness training, defensive tactics, application of the law, emergency response, and K-9 demonstration. With discipline, teamwork, and resilience, the students were able to face challenges, step outside their comfort zone, and experience firsthand what it takes to become part of an RCMP team.

The students benefited from presentations from 16 different policing units and partner agencies as well as from school district presenters. This RCMP Youth Academy is an excellent example of the vibrant community partnership that our district has not only with the RCMP but also with partners such as the Liquor and Cannabis Control Board, ICBC Road Safety, CP Police, BC Conservation Service, BC Sheriff Service, TRU Police and Justice Program, and the City of Kamloops' Gangs and Guns Intervention Program, to name a few.

On the final day, the students shared their learnings and successes with family and friends at the Closing Grad Ceremony, where they displayed their Drill skills as a troop and received their RCMP Youth Academy Certificate of Completion.

At the Graduation Ceremony, Superintendent Jeff Pelley congratulated the graduates and shared, “This program is demanding and you have proven yourself through discipline, teamwork, and perseverance… It has been a week of learning, pushing your limits, and building resilience. These are not just the skills for policing, but they are life skills that will serve you well in any part of the world you go or any career path that you choose. You are the future leaders of our communities.”

Board Chair Heather Grieve expressed gratitude on behalf of the Board to the RCMP, community partners, District staff, and volunteers who made the academy possible and shared message of congratulation for the students, “Whether you move on to a career in law enforcement or another career that has been influenced by your time here, the skills you have learned are going to benefit you regardless of the path you choose. I want to congratulate you on completing the RCMP Youth Academy.”