More than 60 SCCPSS middle school students from eight schools graduated from the SCCPSS Junior Police Academy on Thursday, May 14, 2026.  The SCCPSS Campus Police in partnership with Academic Affairs, Office of College & Career Readiness (OCCR), local businesses and industry implemented this career exploration program for 7th grade middle school students at Coastal, Derenne, Hubert, Mercer, Myers, the STEM Academy at Bartlett, Southwest Middle, and West Chatham Middle Schools.

 The Goals and Objectives of the Program are to:

• Provide young citizens with an Introduction to Law Enforcement.
• Bridge the gap between today’s youth and law enforcement officers.
• Motivate young people to be outstanding citizens.
• Empower them to act as a positive influence in their community through service learning activities.
• Provide students with field experiences by working with local law enforcement agencies.

Chatham County Superior Court Judge Chris Middleton served as Keynote Speaker for the graduation ceremony. Students who graduated from the Junior Police Academy have completed a six week Cadet Training Program. See more photos from the ceremony here.