A program for teen girls in Central Oregon considering a career in law enforcement was held July9-10 in Redmond.

The Central Oregon Women in Law Enforcement hosted their second annual Jr. Women’s Law Enforcement Academy in Redmond July 9-10.

The group was founded in 2022 with the intent to mentor and support current and future women in law enforcement. One of its goals was to host a camp for teens to recruit the future of law enforcement and to show the different career possibilities in law enforcement.

Last year, COWIL hosted their first camp which was a one-day camp led by female instructors in a variety of roles of law enforcement and designed for teen girls. This year’s camp expanded to a two-day experience at Central Christian Schools.

Additionally, this year the camp was designed to follow the cycle of law enforcement, from hiring to a 9-1-1 call, responding with different specialties, the booking process, the court process, and followed by parole and probation.

The instructors at the JR. Women’s Law Enforcement Academy were once again all women all held by women. Sessions included traffic stops, crime lab processing, jail cell search and simulated, mock trial, tactical medical training including CPR and tourniquets, Search and Rescue, handcuffing and more.
Redmond Police, Bend Police, Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office, Prineville Police, Crook County Sheriff’s Office, Deschutes County District Attorney’s Office, Oregon State Police, and more agencies were involved. Funding for the event was provided by Central Oregon Law Enforcement Services.

For more information or to donate for future events, contact Lt. April Huey at the Redmond Police Department at 541-504-3474, or email april.huey@redmondoregon.gov.