Teens get glimpse into police work

In the mat-lined wrestling room on the upper level of Glacier High School, 17-year-old Andrew Brester was being handcuffed.

Twenty or so youths gathered around in a circle as Kalispell Police officer Dennis Bain placed his knee on the back of Brester, who was face-down on the mat.

Some of the teens laughed. Brester himself let out an audible chuckle.

He was in no trouble, but rather a volunteer for Bain to demonstrate the finer points of police apprehension.

It was part of the Kalispell Junior Police Academy. The weeklong program gives teens an inside and hands-on look into what it takes to be a police officer.

“A lot of the things we teach them are the same things we learn at the police academy,” said officer Jason Parce, who founded and leads the class.

Parce developed the idea from his past experience as a school resource officer at Glacier High. He has moved to patrol work but he wanted to start a community outreach program for teens.

Parce said that he got approval from Police Chief Roger Nasset and full funding from Greg Harris, who owns Grizzly Security and Armored Express. Parce said that Harris hopes to foster an evolving, community-oriented police force through efforts like the academy.

Glacier High provided meals during the course.

This is the second class Parce has led. He said that it has been great to see the level of interest among that age group. Ads for the class were posted at both high schools, and the class filled up on its own.

Brester took the inaugural class last year and immediately signed up for the 2015 edition. He said that he joined the first class out of a curiosity about law enforcement. He signed up this year because he’s developed a real interest in the work thanks to the class.

“It’s a real experience,” he said. “They’re teaching us how it’s kind of like in the real world.”

The class doesn’t shy away from some of the more serious topics related to policing. In a classroom on June 24, Bain and Parce were discussing the ethics and tactics in use of force.

The youths asked about things such as fights and how a male officer would confront a violent female offender.

Bain explained that in those situations, he wouldn’t approach a male suspect differently than a female suspect. Both are equally capable of hurting an officer, and some situations might require equal force.

Parce said that the class isn’t a place to refine the rougher edges of police work, but an opportunity to have conversations about what happens in the field.

“The more honest you are with them, and the more direct you are with them, then they understand why you do what you have to do,” Parce said.

There are students who enter the class who seem a bit dubious about law enforcement, he said. But by the end of the class, some of those barriers begin to give way.

The week is split between class time and various field activities.

In class, they discuss topics such as police ethics and integrity, stress management, strategy and use of force.

There’s also hands-on experience such as taking a driving course in a police cruiser, taking notes in a crash investigation or analyzing blood spatter with the major crimes unit.

The students also spent time in the municipal court talking to officials and watching the court process. On the day Brester was handcuffed for demonstration, the students were practicing some basic defensive tactics.

Another classmate, 15-year-old Aleia Thom, was practicing a takedown maneuver on another girl.

“I really love it,” she said of the class.

She thought that at first the officers seemed a little scary, always uniformed and serious. But when she met some of them at the department, she said they were all really friendly.

On Friday, the students gathered for a graduation ceremony to mark the end of the class. Various awards were handed out for top performers and leaders.

Parce hopes to reach more youths with the junior academy. He said that it’s beneficial for officers to work with the public in capacities other than patrol or investigations, and teens are a great segment of the population to work with.

“Developing that relationship between the community and law enforcement,” he said, “that’s huge.”

Reporter Matt Hudson may be reached at 758-4459 or by email at mhudson@dailyinterlake.com.