Most agencies, including my own, have seen a steady decrease in law enforcement applicants over the last several years. What if you could change this statistic by hiring young adults from the community who have already invested time in your agency? What if they praised your department for teaching them valuable lessons they can take into adulthood? It may seem like an overwhelming task at first, but organizing a youth leadership academy can help with hiring and more for years to come.

I met with two Cullman County Board of Education career coaches to discuss ideas, student itineraries, potential issues, and requirements for the academy. In 2016, with help from a deputy and investigator at our department, we offered the first Cullman County Sheriff’s Youth Leadership Academy. Twelve students enrolled in the class, and since then, the program has grown significantly, with a record attendance of 44 in 2019.

Requirements

Each youth leadership academy student is between 16 and 18 years old and has a form of dependable and insured transportation to move freely between the program’s events and activities.

All students must read the classic Civil War novel The Killer Angels by Michael Shaara and submit a book report about the leadership styles presented.¹

Itinerary

Cullman County’s summer weeklong youth academy consists of various leadership and team-building activities and events.

• Physical training (e.g., rock wall climbing, rappelling, self-defense classes, zip lining)
• Hands-on training (e.g., fingerprinting, crime scene reconstruction, shoot-no shoot scenarios)
• Classroom training (e.g., leadership etiquette, American flag history, death investigation)
• Team competitions (e.g., paintball battles, ropes courses, gladiator pit)
• SWAT, K-9, and live fire range demonstrations
• Guest speakers
• Tours of the Cullman County Sheriff’s Office and local jail

Incentives

Youth leadership academy students experience team-building skills while overcoming their fears in the face of diversity. They learn how the Cullman County Sheriff’s Office strives to provide efficient and professional law enforcement while serving its citizens. Students also learn the importance of taking pride in their homes, family, and community.²

Each student receives a course manual, two T-shirts, an identification card, and daily free lunches.

The program is free, and all graduates receive a certificate of completion, 40 hours of community service credit, and the opportunity to do a ride-along with a deputy.

Conclusion

Since the program’s inception, the Cullman County Sheriff’s Youth Leadership Academy has led to three new hires for our department: two dispatchers (recently promoted to shift supervisors) and one detention deputy who works in the jail and plans to attend the next law enforcement academy to become a state-certified patrol deputy.

The benefits far outweigh the costs of a youth leadership academy. It can help with recruiting, raising awareness, and strengthening community relationships. The requirements, itinerary, and incentives for Cullman County’s academy outlined in this article have proven successful for our department and community, but to reap the same benefits, another agency may need to  structure its program differently according to its size, resources, and/or needs.