Andrew, Remy, Cst. Keogan, Paris and Maddison
A summer job with Smiths Falls Police Service gave a group of local young people much more than a paycheque — it offered a closer look at community service, future careers and their own potential.
The service’s Youth in Policing Initiative, or YIPI, wrapped up another successful summer after placing students in community events, learning opportunities and hands-on experiences.
Const. Sean Keogan, who helped run the program, said this year’s group arrived ready to make the most of it.
The students were regularly seen around Smiths Falls helping at events and learning how policing reaches far beyond enforcement.
They were introduced to civilian and sworn roles while seeing how officers work alongside organizations and programs that support residents.
Keogan said community service became an important part of their summer.
The program also gave the students a broader look at where an interest in law, justice or public service could take them.
They joined YIPI participants at the Ripple Effect Youth Forum, where more than 400 students from 18 police agencies took part. The Smiths Falls group also saw specialized units, civilian careers, the court system, lawyers, forensic work, CBRN and explosives presentations.
Keogan believes those experiences could keep shaping decisions after summer ends.
One presentation took students inside the science and practical use of a polygraph, showing how evidence can change the direction of an investigation.
It was an experience a textbook or screen cannot fully recreate.
Keogan said the students pushed beyond their comfort zones and thrived.
For Smiths Falls, the result was a summer of young people learning, serving and discovering possibilities while giving back to their community.
