The Calgary Police Service offers a variety of mentorship, intervention and educational programs for youth and young adults from aged 5 to 18+. These programs offer an opportunity for youth to interact with officers who will work with them to encourage positive behaviours, and help with navigating challenging situations.
Calgary Police Service youth education programs
- The Integrated School Support Program (ISSP) is a prevention-based initiative that merges a variety of programs. The goal is to create an environment to support students both academically and socially.
- Start Smart Stay Safe is a program where police officers engage with students in the classroom in a variety of strengths-based lessons.
- School Resource Officers are sworn officers who are placed within schools to create a positive image of law enforcement and provide mentorship to students.
Calgary Police Service mentorship programs
- Junior
Police Academy gives youths aged 12 to 16 the opportunity to find out
what it is like to be a police officer.
- Calgary Police Cadet Corps is a youth program based on the Canadian Military Cadet Programs (Army, Navy, and Air) that have been operating successfully for over 100 years.
- Power
Play is a drop-in program for youth aged six to 17. The program is
free and allows youth who have cultural or financial barriers the opportunity to play hockey free of charge.
Calgary Police Service youth intervention programs
- Youth
at Risk Development (YARD) is a community-based early intervention
initiative that supports youth who are at risk of gang involvement. The YARD
program works with youth aged 10-17 who are currently at risk, affiliated with
a gang or involved in gang activity. Youth participation in YARD is voluntary.
- Multi-Agency
School Support Team (MASST) intervenes and connects clients from ages 5-12 with existing
social resources that they may find beneficial. These referrals are done on a
case-by-case basis. MASST currently addresses risk factors at the child, family
and community levels.
- The
Gateway Initiative is a program designed to facilitate a connection between
the police, young people, their families and appropriate community resources.
Gateway is designed to intervene with youth who commit a chargeable but minor
offence. The youth must accept responsibility for the offence and be willing to
participate in the program.
- The
ReDirect Program is a prevention and education program aimed at youth and young adults vulnerable to becoming radicalized, before they develop extremist
ideologies or intentions.
- The
Serious
Habitual Offender Program (SHOP) is a community-based crime intervention
program focusing on prevention, reduction and enforcement, targeting habitual
youth offenders between the ages of 12 and 21.