Twenty Abbotsford students got a sneak preview this week of what it’s like to be a police officer.
Their training, as part of the Abbotsford Police Department’s week-long Junior Police Academy, included analyzing a mock crime scene.
That exercise, held Tuesday morning at W. J. Mouat Secondary, featured a murder “victim” – actually a mannequin – lying on the floor.
She was surrounded by evidence, such as a handgun, strewn liquor bottles, footprints and shell casings. The students then had to answer a series of questions about the crime scene.
It was all designed to get them thinking about whether a career in policing is right for them.
Bryce Wiebe, a Grade 12 student at Abbotsford Senior Secondary, said that's exactly why he signed up.
His dad is a career firefighter in the community, and Bryce previously completed Abbotsford Fire Rescue Services' Fire Academy.
He also wanted to get a look at policing.
"I like the investigating part of things and the ERT (emergency response team). I think those are both pretty cool."
Stephanie Keis, a Grade 11 student at Abbotsford Chrisian School, said she's interested in policing for the opportunities it provides.
"I just love how they (officers) protect the community and all the different aspects of the fields within policing."
The 20 participants were selected from among 40 Grade 11 and 12 applicants.
The academy, which ran Monday to Friday, also covered basic law, police control tactics, a ride-along in a police car, and a day at the firearms range.
The training ended with the students applying what they have learned during a scenario-based training day where they were challenged as "police officers" to resolve problems.