Bellerose Composite High School was crawling with cops and kids last week as the RCMP conducted its second annual Youth Academy Camp. Over the course of the week 20 cadets learned everything from self-defence techniques to shooting a gun.
Bellerose Composite High School was crawling with cops and kids last week as the RCMP conducted its second annual Youth Academy Camp.
Over the course of the week 20 cadets learned everything from self-defence techniques to shooting a gun. Most of all, the cadets did lots of role-playing in scenarios ranging from break-ins to drug busts.
When the real police barged into a classroom wearing bandanas over their faces, the cadets learned how to unholster their wooden guns and place handcuffs over the appropriate wrists, even when those wrists were those of a member of the RCMP who had volunteered to teach them skills.
The cadets also learned what the RCMP must face when they encounter terrible vehicle collisions.
"Oh my goodness. He's going to die," cried a play-acting Hailey Rosenthal, 15.
Rosenthal, a student at Sturgeon Composite High School, and a cadet at last week's RCMP Youth Academy camp, was a good actor. She waved her arms and wiped a pretend tear or two and she kept explaining that the cyclist she had just supposedly hit had swerved unexpectedly in front of her.
"I didn't mean to hit him but all of a sudden, he was just in front of me. I didn't mean to hit him. I didn't. Oh he's going to die," she told fellow cadet Arturo Foisy, who was acting in the role of a policeman.
Meanwhile, the cyclist, Matt Parks, 17, lay on the Bellerose classroom floor pretending to be mortally injured. He groaned. He grimaced and only occasionally grinned.
The scenario was simple. Parks, who twisted and turned in pretended agony, was supposedly unconscious, having just been hit by a vehicle on the corner of Lazybone Lane and Athletic Drive. Despite the corny lyrics and antics, he took the lesson dead seriously.
"The RCMP try to make it as real as they can get it and for me, that's what I want because I came to this camp to see if I might actually like to do it – to be a police officer," he said.
Throughout the incident, other cadets including Foisy and Nolan Florence, both 16, kept up a police-like rapport on their walkie-talkies. They reported the details of the accident to a mock police headquarters and received instructions.
As the real RCMP officers coached them through the alleged accident, the cadets pretended to stop the traffic at the same time as they relayed the extent and seriousness of Foisy's injuries. They even held up their hands and said, "click" as if they were taking photos of the scene.
Though they laughed at themselves, they were also intent on learning the correct procedures, and the helping RCMP officers couldn't help but note how much the cadets learned in just one week.
"I think for most of them, it's way harder than they expected. But when I was a kid and thought I wanted to be a police officer, all I knew was what I saw on American television. We always want this to be fun for the kids, but still they learn a bit about what being a police officer is all about," said Const. Dominic Laflamme.
The six-day camp mimicked the RCMP's actual boot camp in Regina.
Each morning the 20 youths got up at 6:30 a.m. in preparation for a 7 a.m. jog around the perimeter of the school. Once the jogging was finished they formed themselves into lines and practiced the marching-drill routines they learned the night before. Then they hurried off for breakfast before starting the day's classes.
Classes included tours of the K-Division headquarters in Edmonton, where the cadets practiced shooting on the gun range. They watched a dog-handling RCMP officer put his dog through a series of exercises. They also watched as the RCMP helicopter landed in the field beside Bellerose school and they got to see inside the aircraft as they talked to the officers.
Most of the students attend local high schools, but one student came from Fort McMurray. All of them registered for the $350 camp last fall, by completing a 20-page application form. Before being accepted they were interviewed by St. Albert's Cpl. Laurel Kading and in addition, each student had to keep a weekly fitness journal.
"There are parallels to the physical tests needed to get into the RCMP," Kading said.
The cadets ate up the entire cops-and-robbers routine with some gusto.
"Constable! How fast can you draw your gun?" asked Foisy, a Grade 11 student at école Alexandre Taché.
The constable had a quick draw response indeed because without hesitation she replied, "As quick as I need to."
Like Parks, Foisy explained that he wanted to attend the camp because he thinks he might like to become an RCMP officer.
"I wasn't sure if this was what I wanted for a career path," he said, adding that he best liked the drill classes led by Sgt. Major Gene Maeda of K-Division.
"We learned to move together as one and gain discipline as a team," he said.
His buddy Florence agreed, adding, "We learned that if one person messes up, the rest of the troop pays for it. It reflects on everything you do as a police officer," he said.
Cpl. Kading, who organized the camp, estimated that each day up to a dozen officers of all ranks visited, chaperoned and volunteered to teach the members of the youth troop.
"The focus is that this is a recruiting method for us but it's wise recruiting. The kids get a test and they get their eyes opened but it also helps us invest in the youth of the community. In addition, there are many positive rewards for the officers. It revitalizes you and helps many of us remember, 'Oh yes. That's why I joined the RCMP,'" she said.
On graduation morning the nervous cadets stood in the hallway and repeated the cadence of the marching drill one more time. "One, two, three, four. Wheel. Five, six ..."
Then with proud, very concentrated-looking faces they marched into the gymnasium for the final ceremonies. Nine red-coat clad Mounties marched with them along with City of St. Albert councillor Cam MacKay.
"Please welcome Troop Stallion," said Const. Janice Schoepp. And, arms swinging, the youths led by Staff Sgt. Maeda fancy marched themselves around the gymnasium.
Standing at rigid attention, each cadet saluted Cpl. Kading and then swivelled perfectly and marched back into place.
"Whether these cadets choose to go into law enforcement, they have a better appreciation of what we do and we hope they take this back to their schools, their family and their peers," said Insp. Kevin Murray, head of the St. Albert detachment.
"It was worth it. It was really great," said Foisy. "I'd do it again."
Editor's note: The original version of this story incorrectly identified Sgt. Major Gene Maeda as a staff sergeant. It also incorrectly attributed the quote below to Maeda when it was actually said by Insp. Kevin Murray, commander of the St. Albert RCMP detachment."Whether these cadets choose to go into law enforcement, they have a better appreciation of what we do and we hope they take this back to their schools, their family and their peers.” The Gazette apologizes for the errors.
