SIDNEY — The Sidney Police Department held a graduation ceremony Wednesday, June 6, at police headquarters for the participants of the Community Teen Law Enforcement Workshop.

Open to all ninth- through 12th-graders in Shelby County, the workshop took place June 4 to 6. According to Chief of Police William Balling, the main goal of the program was to “build bonds between the Sidney Police Department and our students through trust and understanding.”

The workshop consisted of classroom presentations, a tour of the facilities, mock crime scene investigations, and firsthand experience with things like K-9 operations and police ride-alongs.

“We really just wanted to focus on educating (the students) about the police profession and letting them form their own opinions,” said Sgt. Jeremy Lorenzo at Wednesday’s graduation. “We also want to build a bridge, a bond, with our younger population here in Sidney.”

Balling also spoke at the graduation and gave thanks to local individuals and organizations that made the workshop possible, including Marian Spicer and The Community Foundation, which provided a grant that went toward the cost of T-shirts and lunch for the students.

Balling thanked David Gaylor, of Tradewinds Financial, who donated money to cover the remaining cost of providing lunches during the three-day event.

Balling also acknowledged David O’Leary, operations director for the Sidney-Shelby County YMCA. O’Leary and the Y provided a free summer membership to each student participant.

Mayor Mike Barhorst was in attendance and thanked the students for giving up time from the beginning of their summer to attend the educational workshop.

“The piece of advice I would give you,” Barhorst said in closing, “is everyday, do something kind for someone, and everyday, stay safe.”

Brock Rogers, of Botkins, was one of Wednesday’s graduates. He said he enjoyed the workshop, with his favorite part being the K-9 operations segment, during which he volunteered to get bitten by K-9 Officer Duke while wearing a protective arm shield.

Rogers said he hopes to one day become a police officer. It has been his dream occupation since he was in the first grade.

“I watched the TV show ‘Cops,’” he said. “I started looking into it and decided that’s what I really want to do.”

“It was awesome,” Rogers said of the workshop. “If I had the option to do it again, I really would.”

Community Resource Officer Mike McRill speaks with participants of the Teen Law Enforcement Workshop on Tuesday, June 5, following the Mock Crime Scene scenarios. Brock Rogers and Mallory Godwin can be seen looking toward Officer McRill as he briefs the students on how to handle themselves in a criminal investigation, pulling examples from the staged scenarios they participated in moments earlier. The students acted out various roles of law enforcement and first responders on the scene of hypothetical crimes, including a stabbing in a coffee shop and discovery of a dead body within a vehicle.

http://www.sidneydailynews.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/47/2018/06/web1_DSCF6852.jpgCommunity Resource Officer Mike McRill speaks with participants of the Teen Law Enforcement Workshop on Tuesday, June 5, following the Mock Crime Scene scenarios. Brock Rogers and Mallory Godwin can be seen looking toward Officer McRill as he briefs the students on how to handle themselves in a criminal investigation, pulling examples from the staged scenarios they participated in moments earlier. The students acted out various roles of law enforcement and first responders on the scene of hypothetical crimes, including a stabbing in a coffee shop and discovery of a dead body within a vehicle. Photo by Aimee Hancock | Sidney Daily News

Officer Mike McRill confers with student Alyssa Apley during the Mock Crime Scene drill on Tuesday, June 5. Apley participated in the hypothetical scenario involving a stabbing in a coffee shop. Her role was to serve as the liaison between law enforcement and the media. Her duties included keeping reporters from encroaching on the crime scene, as well as sharing information with media representatives when necessary.

http://www.sidneydailynews.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/47/2018/06/web1_DSCF6833.jpgOfficer Mike McRill confers with student Alyssa Apley during the Mock Crime Scene drill on Tuesday, June 5. Apley participated in the hypothetical scenario involving a stabbing in a coffee shop. Her role was to serve as the liaison between law enforcement and the media. Her duties included keeping reporters from encroaching on the crime scene, as well as sharing information with media representatives when necessary. Photo by Aimee Hancock | Sidney Daily News

Sgt. Rob Jameson speaks with Natalie Calhoun during the Mock Crime Scene drill on Tuesday as Kara Mays looks on. Calhoun and Mays participated in the second hypothetical scenario, which involved law enforcement’s discovery of a dead body in a vehicle.

http://www.sidneydailynews.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/47/2018/06/web1_DSCF6811.jpgSgt. Rob Jameson speaks with Natalie Calhoun during the Mock Crime Scene drill on Tuesday as Kara Mays looks on. Calhoun and Mays participated in the second hypothetical scenario, which involved law enforcement’s discovery of a dead body in a vehicle. Photo by Aimee Hancock | Sidney Daily News

Students Paige Frew, Camryn Smith, and Roger Miller, III, work as law enforcement officers and first responders during the Mock Crime Scene drill Tuesday. During these hypothetical scenarios, students collected evidence, interviewed witnesses, secured crime scenes, interacted with the media, and worked together to solve the crime, all while receiving feedback and tips from officers of the Sidney Police Department.

http://www.sidneydailynews.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/47/2018/06/web1_DSCF6807.jpgStudents Paige Frew, Camryn Smith, and Roger Miller, III, work as law enforcement officers and first responders during the Mock Crime Scene drill Tuesday. During these hypothetical scenarios, students collected evidence, interviewed witnesses, secured crime scenes, interacted with the media, and worked together to solve the crime, all while receiving feedback and tips from officers of the Sidney Police Department. Photo by Aimee Hancock | Sidney Daily News

Sidney Chief of Police William Balling speaks to students at the Community Teen Law Enforcement Workshop graduation on Wednesday.

http://www.sidneydailynews.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/47/2018/06/web1_balling.jpgSidney Chief of Police William Balling speaks to students at the Community Teen Law Enforcement Workshop graduation on Wednesday. Photo by Aimee Hancock | Sidney Daily News

Natalie Calhoun accepts her certificate from Sgt. Jeremy Lorenzo at the Community Teen Law Enforcement Workshop graduation on Wednesday. Chief Balling, Mayor Mike Barhorst, and Councilman Steve Wagner wait to shake her hand.

http://www.sidneydailynews.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/47/2018/06/web1_graduation.jpgNatalie Calhoun accepts her certificate from Sgt. Jeremy Lorenzo at the Community Teen Law Enforcement Workshop graduation on Wednesday. Chief Balling, Mayor Mike Barhorst, and Councilman Steve Wagner wait to shake her hand. Photo by Aimee Hancock | Sidney Daily News

Mayor Barhorst addresses the teens at the graduation on Wednesday in the Training Room at the Sidney Police Department.

http://www.sidneydailynews.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/47/2018/06/web1_mayor.jpgMayor Barhorst addresses the teens at the graduation on Wednesday in the Training Room at the Sidney Police Department. Photo by Aimee Hancock | Sidney Daily News