​The APD Youth Leadership Program travelled to Corpus Christi and stayed on board the USS Lexington

​85 middle and high schoolers attended this free summer program and saw it all the way through. Their reward? The satisfaction of having spent a good portion of their summer engaged in discovering and developing the kind of skills and knowledge necessary to become successful leaders, and adults. Moreover, they earned the respect of their parents, peers, and program mentors. Retired officer Eric Oakmon, the APD Office of Community Liaison, and a giving community of private and public organizations, and philanthropic individuals, in a truly collaborative effort, came together to provide a personal development experience: a two month leadership program, designed to empower teens ages 12 to 17 years of age, by helping them develop the personal tools to create an exciting future. Program attendees constructively used their summer break from school to develop leadership skills, but only after taking to heart the fact that in order to be leaders, they must be good stewards of themselves, first Self mastery, first, then leadership, was this summer's constant refrain, and in a dynamic, hands-on learning environment that used a variety of fun and challenging projects, activities, workshops and discussions, program attendees were encouraged to develop self-confidence and self-mastery and to lead by example. Retired APD Officer Eric Oakmon, the originator and a fourteen year veteran of this youth leadership program, in collaboration with Austin Independent School District's, Dobie Middle School, strives each year to pull together summer youth programming for what has been an annual average of up to 120 attendees since the program's inception - Programming that continues to keep Austin's youth out of trouble and heading towards the bright future that is their birth right. Many thanks to officer Oakmon and the Austin Police Department for continuing to provide this strong community program for Austin youth.
SHOW LESS

Take a look at the first week of the APD Community Liaison Corporation's Youth Leadership Camp.

​Eva Martinez began her journey with the Austin Police Department Summer Youth Leadership Program her Fourth Grade year and remained a dedicated student within our program. She also exuded a great sense of leadership abilities and knowledge to lead her peers when performing assignments, tasks and special service projects. Eva has an infectious spirit which made her a perfect candidate to be our program Teen Leader Captain with all the leader duties to keep the group informed and on task. Through our relationship with the City of Austin Emerging Leader Program Eva was selected to participate as a summer intern to be paid summer COA employee. This program provided her great opportunity to make money to help her single parent mother with the needs of their family. We here at the Austin Police Department wish her nothing but the best that life has in store for her and her future.

Because of Covid-19, the APD Youth Leadership Camp and its partner AISD is adapting to social distancing needs by presenting camp units online using virtual technology, such as Google Classes. Camp is expected to begin June 1st and will include presentations by Jet Baker and his nonprofit, Share, Art, Heal. 

What a great turn-out despite some rain!

SALT members from all over Austin gathered together on September 7th to meet with police officers to discuss ways of staying safe. 

July 22, 2017. The day was a hot as the cars. Everybody was a Highway Star.