Applications are being accepted for the 2009 Junior Police Academy at the Rockingham Police Department.

Police Chief Robert Voorhees said 25 cadets will be selected for the academy which will be held July 20 through 24.

Applications must be submitted by July 3.

Voorhees said applications have been sent home with students from middle schools in Richmond County as well as the Ninth Grade Academy.

He said the academy is designed to motivate young people to be “outstanding students through law enforcement education.”

He said while cadets are not police officers, “They are community leaders of tomorrow who have been instilled with an appreciation and respect for law enforcers and their role in society.”

Among activities planned are the learning of patrol techniques, learning traffic investigations, running trail and article searches with a K-9 unit, learning case preparations, identify illegal drugs and drug paraphernalia, visit with a helicopter crew involved in assisting law enforcement and dine at the Richmond County Airport, visit the 911 Telecommunications Center and observe a SWAT unit in action.

Applications are available at the Rockingham Police Department, 305 East Franklin Street, Rockingham.