The Menlo Park Youth Academy began Saturday, May 9, 2015, with 20 eager and energetic youth between the ages of 12-18 years gathering to learn about the roles and responsibilities of law enforcement. The police department offers this academy in an educational setting which allows youth to ask questions openly and to discuss with police staff any concerns they may have with law enforcement. It also gives them time to explore their curiosity and to provide them an opportunity to see a different perspective, through a law enforcement lens, of why police officers do what they do. The curriculum is spread out over five weeks and covers topics such as 9-1-1 dispatch scenarios, officer safety, laws of arrest, search and seizure, crime scene investigation and a K-9 demo to name a few. The academy continues for four more weeks culminating with graduation Saturday, June 6, 2015.