Registration is now open for the 2025 Boise Police SHIELD Academy. This is the fourth year of the program, and it continues to grow. BPD will once again be offering two sessions to accommodate a larger number of participants. The SHIELD Academy is a free, three-week-long program led by a team of School Resource Officers (SROs) and other officers from the Community Outreach Division. SHIELD stands for Success, Helping, Innovation, Empowerment, Leadership, Discover. The program is designed to build confidence, resiliency, and interpersonal skills.
This year, two 3-week sessions will be offered (activities are the same for both sessions). Students must be available to attend the entire program. Participants must be ages 12-15.
Session 1: June 2-19 Monday through Thursday, 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM
Session 2: July 7-24 Monday through Thursday, 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM
Location: Borah High School, 6001 W Cassia St., with frequent off-site field trips planned
The goal of this program is to strengthen relationships between local students and law enforcement and to provide a unique opportunity for students to grow, learn, try new experiences, and build life skills and confidence. As participants, students will take local field trips, take part in fun activities and team building exercises, hear from guest speakers from across the community and learn about goal setting, leadership and development and career opportunities.
“The Boise Police Department is committed to building positive relationships with our community, especially with our youth,” said Lt. Tim Brady. “The SHIELD academy allows our officers to spend quality time with these young people and offer them an incredible opportunity to engage with law enforcement in a meaningful way, learn valuable skills, and contribute to making our community safer. We encourage all eligible youth to apply and join us for many unforgettable experiences.”
Students ages 15-17 can also participate in the program as mentors. The program capacity is 25 students and 5 mentors per session, so students are encouraged to apply early. Applications will be reviewed, and you will be contacted by May 25th if you are selected for the program. Find out if you are eligible for the program and apply to be a SHIELD participant or mentor here. https://www.cityofboise.org/departments/police/community-outreach/shield-summer-youth-program/