Palo Alto will begin its first Student Police Academy in February 2007. The program is 13 weeks long and meets every Wednesday from 4 to 6 p.m. There are 24 available spaces for high school students. In order to apply, students must have a 2.0 GPA, a letter of recommendation, parental approval and no previous misdemeanors or felonies. The Palo Alto Police Department is hoping to run the academy for free, but aid at any cost will be provided.

The academy will teach students various skills such as finger printing, forensics and traffic control and will also hold K-9 demonstrations. Students will take the same tests that police officers take: the written test, the oral interview and the physical test. Classes will be held at numerous locations in Palo Alto and five to ten officers will teach something new every week. A graduation ceremony will conclude the course.

PAPD hopes to use graduates in possible decoy situations or to monitor small events.

Students can get exploratory experience credit for this course by contacting Meri Gyves at <a href="mailto:mgyves@pausd.org" target="_blank">mgyves@pausd.org</a>. For more info, email <a href="mailto:marianna.villaescusa@cityofpaloalto.org" target="_blank">marianna.villaescusa@cityofpaloalto.org</a>.