Crime & Safety

Forks Summer Youth Police Academy Saved

Forks Township Police will team up with the Palmer Township Police Department to offer a joint youth police academy this summer.

Less than one month after the announcement that it was canceled, the Summer Youth Police Academy is back on.

This time, though, the Forks Township Police Department will hold the annual academy in tandem with the Palmer Township Police Department.

Forks Police Chief Greg Dorney stated that he and Palmer Police Chief Larry Palmer reached an agreement to hold a joint police progam this summer.

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"This will allow both of us to do this," Dorney said. "I'm very excited." 

Dorney said he, Palmer and police chiefs from Easton and Wilson meet each month and at the most recent meeting, there was discusssion about trying to find ways to pool resources.

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In late March, the Forks police department announced that the program would be scrapped due to manpower shortages.

Forks Community Resource Officer Brooks Kranich said the department was forced to cut some community policing programs due to the staff reduction.

Kranich said the program had operated for a decade with class sizes ranging from between 25-30 cadets between ages 11 and 14.

The program takes place the second or third week in July.

"Cutting the program wasn't something we were happy about," Dorney said.

Forks police also scrapped its annual bike derby in June.

Dorney found out that Chief Palmer was also in a similar situation. So the two decided to put together a joint summer camp.

No date has been set yet for the summer youth police academy.

Dorney said the program could expand down the road to include Wilson and Easton.

"Because of Chief Palmer, we're going to provide the youth academy," Dorney exclaimed at Thursday's Board of Supervisors meeting.

Palmer, though, wasn't as sure in a response he sent by email Monday.

"We are still finalizing the program and nothing is carved in stone yet," he said. "It is something we are seriously exploring."


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