By Laura Fitzgerald
The Community Foundation and its donors have been a long-time supporter of public safety in St. Clair County. Since 2020, more than $135,000 has been granted to communities around the county for things like new fire safety equipment in Clyde Township, a new generator for the Emmett Fire Department as well as thermal imagers and a CPR device for Marysville public safety officers.
Ensuring first responders are equipped with the necessary gear to keep the community safe is important, but so is fostering goodwill with the people they serve. Many public safety departments have volunteer programs or citizen academies, like recent grant recipients St. Clair Police Department (SCPD) and Port Huron Police Department (PHPD).
Citizens Police Academies Foster Positive Community Relationships
St. Clair resident Michelle Natschke wanted to be a police officer when she was younger. She decided to go into education instead, but she never lost her curiosity in law enforcement.
In 2024, Natschke saw a flyer plastered on the SCPD’s wall for a Citizens Police Academy. She attended her first class and from there she was hooked.
“I gained a deep admiration and respect for the force,” she said.
And thanks to two separate grants from Community Foundation, now more St. Clair residents and Port Huron area youth can get the same experience through the SCPD’s Citizens Academy and the PHPD’s summer youth academies.
The two programs help build bridges and trust between law enforcement and the residents they serve – a key component for effective policing and safe communities – while also providing career exploration.
Foundation Grants will Enhance Participants’ Experience
PHPD will use their $7,200 Youth Advisory Council grant to purchase supplies, uniforms, certificate holders, lunch, marketing materials and other miscellaneous items for their elementary, middle and high school youth academies, said Port Huron Northern School Resource Officer Alexander Allen.
“Uniforms and marketing materials really help make the academy feel a little more polished,” Allen said. “It’s nice to have the kids show up and have a uniform. They’ll feel and act as one group and work as a team.”
That sense of unity and professionalism is just one reason why the academy gained support.
“The YAC team supported the Port Huron Police Department’s youth academy because it fits two of our key priorities – life skills and personal development, and career exploration. We are confident as a group that the upcoming police academy will assist the youth in striving towards their future career goals. We are very excited to see where this group leads the future of our communities!” said Chelsea Montroy, a YAC executive team member from Marysville High School.
The $15,000 grant from the St. Clair Endowments will be used by the SCPD to purchase safety mats for officers and participants to use during subject control demonstrations, said Officer Colin Ellul.
“Every year, it’s just getting bigger and better,” Ellul said. “We’re getting more equipment so we can do more demonstrations and give participants a better experience.”
More about the Academies
At PHPD’s elementary academy, students learn about fingerprinting, complete an obstacle course, interact with the community engagement trailer, watch a demonstration with the police dog, and see the inside of a police car.
At the middle and high school academies, students meet the department’s police dog and train with the Michigan Commission on Law Enforcement Standards (MCOLES) physical agility test that Police Academy recruits must pass. Students also learn about traffic stops, crime scene investigations, evidence gathering, building searches and first aid.
High schoolers get more in-depth with each topic. At the end of the week, high school students run through common scenarios a police officer would handle on the job, including a traffic stop, a domestic violence incident and a building search.
The elementary and middle school programs are free. The high school academy requires an application and a $50 fee.
St. Clair’s Citizens Academy is open to anyone aged 18 and up and exposes participants to similar policing concepts, as well as criminal law, the work of the St. Clair County Drug Task Force and common online financial scams. The program includes site visits to the St. Clair County Jail and guest speakers from PHPD Major Crimes and the St. Clair County Sheriff and Prosecutor’s offices, Officer Ellul said.
Building Bridges, Talent Pipelines and Partnerships
The academies foster positive relationships between police and residents of all ages.
“We want to give back. The citizens fund us, and we’re trying to show the public what we do on a daily basis and how important our job is to the community,” Officer Ellul said. “We want to make our department that much better so the public can get a better service out of us.”
Some St. Clair Citizens Academy graduates like Natschke go on to join St. Clair’s Public Safety Volunteers, a group that help police with crowd control and safety at large city events. She also serves as the director of youth programming on the St. Clair Police Foundation, a nonprofit that supports law enforcement.
Kylar Luscomb’s experience in PHPD’s high school academy inspired her to pursue a career in law enforcement. She is now a PHPD cadet and will graduate with a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice later this year.
“When someone calls 911, it could be the worst day of their life. So, me being able to be there to try to help them through it is a huge dream of mine,” she said. “I want to be able to help people.”
Officer Allen said the youth academies can benefit all students – whether they want to have a career in law enforcement or not. Students learn confidence, teamwork, communication and other important life skills.
How You Can Help
Visit our Giving Center to explore ways to give. We offer several funds that directly support law enforcement and their vital work in our communities, including the Port Huron Police Fund, Emily Knox Law Enforcement Dedication Fund, Sheriff Donnellon Law Enforcement Fund.