Middlesex Sheriff’s Office awarded state grant to help support Youth Public Safety Academy

The Middlesex Sheriff’s Office has been awarded a state grant to support this year’s annual Youth Public Safety Academy (YPSA), Sheriff Peter J. Koutoujian announced today.

The MSO was awarded just under $23,500 from the Commonwealth’s Law Enforcement and Youth Partnerships Summer Day Program, administered through an application process by the Massachusetts Executive Office of Public Safety and Security (EOPSS).

“YPSA is one of our most popular community initiatives, with over than 1,300 children ages 8-12 applying this year,” said Sheriff Koutoujian.  “Thanks to the Baker Administration and EOPSS we will be able to hire two additional counselors and increase the number of those able to attend by as much as 120 children.  That would not be possible without this grant.”

YPSA is a week-long camp designed to expose youngsters to role models in public safety, as well as to teach them valuable life and safety lessons.

YPSA cadets participate in a series of activities throughout the camp – visiting with the local police and fire officials in their hometowns and learning about fire hazards in a fire safety trailer.  Cadets also learn how to make evacuation plans for emergency situations and participate in exercises designed to demonstrate the power and importance of teamwork.

The Academy is run at the Middlesex Training Academy in Chelmsford, with transportation, breakfast and lunch provided.  YPSA runs for six, one-week sessions each summer. The first week begins on July 9.

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