By Elisabeth Strillacci

SALISBURY — The police department is once again offering two summer youth programs that have been well received in years past, but they are also kicking off two new programs, also aimed at younger Salisbury residents.

Jay Basinger, a detective and crime scene investigator in the department, will once again be running the Crime Scene Camp for those age 11-15. The half day event is offered June 25 and again on July 23 and runs from 8 a.m. til 1 p.m. and gives kids a behind the scene look at what investigators do to process a crime scene.

“I don’t include a lot of graphic things, but I do make sure they get experience with a lot of the procedures, such as fingerprinting,” Basinger said, who has been operating the program for a number of years.

Basinger said there is a welcome and a brief overview of the information the students will be exposed to, then they will break up into groups to learn a variety of skills, then come back together to apply them.

There is space for 25 in each of the two sessions and Basinger accepts applicants on a first come, first serve basis. He checks ages, and applications should note which date the student wants to attend, but beyond that, there are no requirements. Prizes and awards are given out in the program, which is paid for by a grant from the Julian and Blanche Robinson Foundation, and lunch is provided.

The class is held at 220 North Fulton Street and Basinger is joined in running the camp by one of the department’s civilian crime scene investigators Brittany Somers, and by volunteer officers who come to offer support and help.

The second camp offered is the Youth Citizen’s Academy, which is run by Corporal Shakya Jackson. There are two four-day sessions, one that runs from June 23-27, and one that runs from July 28-Aug. 1.

The program runs from 8 a.m.-2 p.m. and there is space for 20 students in each session. Breakfast and lunch are provided, and is open to high school students.

“The purpose is to provide young people a condensed introduction to both policing and community responsibility,” said Jackson. They are introduced to a range of police work, including how to handle a traffic stop and hostage negotiations, to name a few. They will spend time in the Rowan County court seeing how a case proceeds through the legal system. They’ll have conversations with different officers who have different expertise and training.

They will also join the students at the crime scene camp to learn some of the skills that they will need when, on the following day, they are given a crime scene to process on their own.

Both camps have been offered for several years and spaces to fill quickly. To apply for the crime scene camp, go to https://form.jotform.com/231494709293969 and for the youth citizens academy go to https://forms.gle/DRYvraMfApsK182d8

In addition to the two camps, the department is offering two other opportunities for younger residents. The first is a cadet program, open to those between the ages of 15 to 20 and aimed at students or younger residents who have an interest in a career in law enforcement.

“At that point they are too young, of course, to apply for Basic Law Enforcement Training (BLET) said Jackson, “but this gives them an opportunity to really see if this is the job for them.”

“Some get into BLET or even through it before realizing this is not the career for them,” said Basinger. “This gives them an opportunity to find that out early.” It also gives cadets a certain level of responsibility, since participants will help the department during special events and they will be provided a cadet uniform, making it clear that they have standing.

“Participating in this program provides a solid foundation in the fundamentals of law enforcement while also instilling important values such as integrity, responsibility and accountability,” explained Jackson. “They are not police officers, but we do have them work with us, for example helping with parking at a large event, so they begin to understand that with some authority comes responsibility and a requirement for professional behavior.”

Finally the department will offer a youth mentor program for children between the ages of 7 and 17. All of the program are designed to help build connections between officers and Salisbury’s younger residents, but this one is unique.

“We don’t have a Big Brothers/Big Sisters program, and this is designed to do much the same thing,” said Jackson. Officers will meet with their mentees in civilian clothes rather than in uniform and will work to develop a bond with their child to give them another caring adult to turn to for guidance and support.

“We hope to provide them with consistent, positive mentorship and development opportunities that build essential life skills, self-confidence and leadership qualities,” Jackson added.

The introductory meeting will be held June 7 at 10 a.m. at the Park Avenue Community Center. Within two weeks of that initial meeting, officers will meet with their assigned children to determine what they need from the partnership. There will be field trips and outings for the whole group and meetings twice a month, but the officer and their mentee will determine how often they will get together one on one.

To submit an application for the cadet program visit https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/S2MXLRG  and for the youth mentor program see  https://forms.gle/eoUoAVtDFA4FxjBQ9