Highway Patrol's youth academy offers teens a taste of law enforcement career

PIEDMONT — A recent Missouri State Highway Patrol Youth Academy gave 29 teenagers an eye-opening look into a career in law enforcement and life as a trooper.

“The Youth Academy program was developed for high school students, between the ages of 16 and 18, who display an interest in law enforcement,” said Sgt. Brad Haggett, who serves as the patrol’s recruiter for the southeast region.

“The program provides a unique hands-on experience for the students to learn the role of law enforcement within their communities.”

For the third year, the five-day academy was held at Camp Eagle Sky of the Ozarks near Piedmont.

“This is probably the best group of kids we’ve had so far; they pulled together quicker as a team,” said Haggett.

Attendance was up from 20 in 2018.

This year’s cadets came from across Southeast Missouri, as well as from as far away as the St. Louis area, the Columbia area, West Plains and Monett.

“During the week, the instructors created an environment that instilled teamwork, discipline and character building to include activities that instilled leadership, core values and team building,” he said. “Our goals were aimed at creating a better bond between area youth, law enforcement and the entire community.”

During the academy, the cadets participated in fitness training and drill and marching exercises, as well as ropes and obstacle courses.

The cadets also were instructed on the patrol’s history, ethics, integrity, firearms safety and use of force issues.

There were classroom presentations on the patrol’s criminal investigation, aircraft, gaming, civilian careers and marine divisions, as well as stop-and-approach scenarios.

For Rachel Schlager of Cascade, the stop-and-approach was the best part of her experience.

Acting as troopers “on the side of the side” was “really eye opening” and allowed her “to see how it is to act under pressure,” Schlager said.

Dannie Snethern of Poplar Bluff agreed.

“It was exciting for me,” said Snethern, who will be a senior at Westwood Baptist Academy.

In one scenario, Snethern said, she had to approach on the passenger side.

“I was stumped by the amount of questions,” she said. “I ended up running after the passenger instead of staying there and finishing my business.”

Snethern said she “ended up getting shot.”

In another scenario, she said, the driver got out before she approached.

Snethern said the driver left behind a gun, so “I had to draw, of course, and he was still coming (toward) me. I ended up having to shoot the (armed) passenger and then chase the driver.”

In Schlager’s scenarios, “I didn’t get shot, but my car got stolen, and I had to get between two big guys, and I’m not that big.”

Logan Winberry of Poplar Bluff wasn’t as lucky, as he got shot once, as well as stabbed once.

“I didn’t get killed in the shootout,” Winberry added.

According to Brittin Western, his scenarios went “very great.”

As a member of Troop E’s explorer program, the Sikeston teen said, he has had a “little bit of practice” participating in these types of scenarios.

As a second-year academy participant, “I felt I was more prepared,” said Western, who served as vice commander for the week. “I knew what I would be facing. I knew how to handle certain situations.”

Western said a person’s voice “goes a long way” when it comes to dealing with people.

“A lot of people who are here this year didn’t have that voice when” they first arrived, said Western, who indicated the academy was a “learning experience for all of us.”

“I’m glad that they did teach us to sound off when it’s time to sound off because sometimes you have to sound off to be in control of a situation,” he said.

Taking charge was something the cadets began doing early on.

“A lot of people step up to be a leader” the first day and do the best they can, said Winberry, who will be a senior at Poplar Bluff High School. By the second day, he said, the “biggest leaders” start to take charge and others start to follow.

“The one thing I learned through the whole entire camp is that leaders are made,” Winberry said. “In order to be a leader, you have to want to be a leader.

“I think some of these (cadets) … didn’t really know they had it in them, and I’m glad that I came back to see that, and I got to help lead.”

Winberry said he knows, without a doubt, “this is something I want to do. I want to lead and protect people.”

Winberry, who is a member of JROTC, foresees law enforcement or the military in his future.

Schlager agreed.

“I’ve always been interested in stuff like this,” Schlager said. “I thought (the academy) would be good for me to come out here, and it was.”

Some of the cadets may not want to be troopers, but, Haggett said, “I know they all learned something they can take away from the program and apply to any aspect of life.”

Both Schlager and Winberry said the academy is something every teen should attend.

“It’s not really about a career in law enforcement,” Winberry said. “It’s about finding yourself to be a leader or a follower (and) just communicating with people.”

The academy, according to Schlager, teaches “discipline and all sort of good qualities.”

For Western, the academy solidified his desire to be a trooper, but first he will continue working and attend Three Rivers College to study criminal justice until such time he is old enough to apply to the patrol.

Snethern also would like to pursue a career with the patrol, particularly in its marine division.

“Seeing what (the trooper) was doing when he was driving the boat,” and his demonstration of dragging operations “got to me,” she said.

The academy, Schlager said, teaches “you that you can push through anything, and you’re capable of just about anything if you just push through the pain and put your mind to it.”

Setting his mind on a challenge was something Western accomplished at this year’s academy.

“Last year, I tried the lower levels on the ropes course,” Western explained. “My mind was telling me I wasn’t capable of doing the higher-up courses.

“This year, I realized it was my mind telling me that and that I honestly could do it. It opened my eyes that I shouldn’t be scared to try new things.”

Although most of the activities weren’t new to Winberry, he said, “it was still pretty challenging. I jumped off the repel tower last year, and I almost didn’t jump off this year.”

Winberry said his fellow cadets “got me to do it.”

The PT, according to Snethern, was the most challenging for her, as was the mud course.

Schlager agreed.

“It’s been tough at times, but we pushed through,” Schlager said.

With PT, Snethern said, she found “you have to be motivated to push yourself and to push others. You have to encourage others. … I learned if one falls, we all fall together.”

Even though the mud course was challenging, Snethern described it as awesome.

“I lost my shoe, and the second time, I lost my sock,” she said. “My shoe is still buried in the mud.”

With this year’s “bigger team,” Western said, there was more support, encouragement and “drive to move you forward as a team.”

Western said he also learned the “things that the instructors put us through isn’t a game, isn’t something you can’t play around with. One day, we will be on the side of the road, stopping vehicles.

“One day, we might have a shootout. One day, we might be in a situation where we have to handle someone” in extreme conditions.

The academy, he said, shows “it does get serious,” necessitating a need to be prepared at all times.

“At the end of the week, the youth helped us learn better ways to communicate with and understand the viewpoints of today’s youth,” said Haggett, who indicated the Eagle Sky staff goes “out of their way to see to all our needs” and were very accommodating during the week.

The academy, Haggett said, continues to be funded solely by private donations, and there is no cost to the cadets to attend.