The Missouri State Highway Patrol will host a two-day class in March and April for teens interested in law enforcement in northeast and southern Missouri counties. The Student Alliance program will introduce high school juniors and seniors to the patrol’s different divisions and the daily responsibilities of being a state trooper.
“They’ll also be introduced to things such as stop and approach, they’ll get to shoot one of our glock side arms – in our range – and they’ll see a K-9 demonstration just to name a few of the courses that will be available to them,” said Sgt. Brent Bernhardt, coordinator of Student Alliance Troop B.
This program is a way for students to test the waters of law enforcement as a career.
“Sometimes when people come to the highway patrol academy, they go through the selection process and after they get there they decide that may not be what they want to do,” said Sgt. Jeff Kinder, coordinator of Troop G.
Kinder said by participating in the two-day class students will learn at a young age the expectations that come with being hired by the highway patrol, lending perspective on what their future could look like.
Sgt. Bernhardt said the program can encourage students to peruse law enforcement.
“When they’re getting ready to decide what college they plan to attend or whether they plan to go into the military or whatever they plan on doing, they can actually structure their life and say ‘This is what I need to do to be a Missouri state trooper’,” Bernhardt said.
Troop G applications for the program are due March 20. Teens interested in the program can obtain applications from Troop G headquarters or by contacting Sgt. Jeff Kinder for more information.
