ANADARKO, Oklv. – The Youth Indian Police Academy kicked off their second annual academy this year. Students from ninth-12th grades were eligible to participate. The program provided students with team-building events, tactical exercises, field trips and simulations. The two-week program took place at the Riverside Indian School campus on June 16-28.
Anadarko Agency Chief of Police Micah Ware (Kiowa) serves as the supervisory special agent for the Bureau Indian of Affairs of Justice Services. He spoke about the benefits of the academy, the youth’s daily schedule and the different activities they provide.
The academy is not the first organization to provide a glimpse into law enforcement for Indigenous students. The Muscogee (Creek) Nation Lighthorse Police Department launched their police youth academy in 2023. Ware has seen these programs pop up across the state and has seen the positive impact they have had on Native students. This inspired Ware to create something similar with the Bureau of Indian Affairs Office of Justice Services. Thus the idea for a BIA Youth Police Academy in partnership with Riverside Indian School was born.
“We held a two-week, in-house program and we brought kids in from all over the country and we actually were able to provide them a very meaningful experience, showing them what we do in law enforcement,” Ware said. “This year will be the second annual over at the Riverside Indian School, what we’re hoping to do is be able to keep this going year after year.”
This year saw between 25-35 students that attended the academy. Although they try to keep the program between 25-28 students, this year saw returning graduates from last year’s academy.
During the application process there are certain requirements that need to be met to attend the academy. According to Ware, applicants must write a five-paragraph essay, which will include their life goals, who they are and why they want to participate. Ware and others look at the efforts put into each essay.
This year the academy has tribal citizens from 13 states including some as far away as Alaska, Washington, Montana, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota and South Dakota. According to Ware, this is at no expense to students.
The Academy
For students their daily schedule incorporated physical training (PT) in the morning and after class. The program tries to keep students engaged with various activities like lab exercises.
Program leaders and the Riverside Indian School understand that it is important to implement cultural teachings for Indigenous students. Many of the program’s teachers are traditional and know several of their culture’s songs and ways. Smudge and healing ceremonies are performed every morning. According to Ware, students start off their day by singing the flag song on the drum. This year school staff explored new ideas to pass down cultural knowledge. This included hand drum-making and teepee building.
“Understand that these are our Native kids. These are Indian kids and trying to make sure that we maintain the cultural aspect of what we’re trying to do here at the Youth Indian Police Academy, so that’s really important to us,” Ware said.
Ware shared that the academy utilizes their own Office of Justice Services (OJS) officers. Each group was assigned an OJS school resource officer who was on site 24/7. “I think it’s more of the personal connections with the squad leaders that they’re developing, so they’re providing instructions and working with their squads from the time that these kids get on center until the time they graduate to leave.” Ware said.
When the academy wraps up its time with students, a survey is conducted to identify strengths and weaknesses.
According to Ware, his department is currently in need of applicants for law enforcement positions. Although Ware understands that not everyone who goes through the police academy necessarily wants to pursue a career in law enforcement, he hopes the program will inspire others to serve their own tribal communities.
“We obviously would hope it’s in law enforcement but there’s several types of ways you can serve Indian country,” Ware said.
Reservation Reality
Ware has served as an Indian Country criminal investigator for ten years in areas from the Dakotas to Oklahoma. He has witnessed the hardships students face every day, making his reason for running the youth police academy personal. The academy addresses issues like abuse, neglect, poverty issues, as well as drug and alcohol issues. Ware has encountered many young Native Americans who struggle with these issues. According to Ware, the program is all about giving back and giving students structure they may not receive anywhere else.
“Hopefully somehow create a mechanism to change the trajectory of whatever life they might be on at that point in time during their difficult times in their life. If we could get these youth to come and participate in a program like this where we can work with them, inspire them, motivate them and mentor them, who knows what they could be, who knows what they could turn into,” Ware said.
Students from last year’s program kept in touch with their teachers and reportedly enjoyed being a part of it. They are part of a family-like bond, affectionately called “YIP Family”.
Ware encourages students to come into the academy with an open mind, and the motivation to push themselves. Good attitudes and good hearts are always welcomed. Ware has observed that students who have gone through the academy find themselves appreciative for who they become as a result of pushing through tough obstacles.
Growing up, Ware and his colleagues did not have the opportunity to attend a youth academy that provided structure during the summer. This drives Ware’s team to provide the best possible program for the next generation because they have seen firsthand the impact it has had on the next generation of Native Americans.
“The more programs we have like this the better, the more opportunities we have for our Indian youth. Obviously we’re not the only show in town and nor do we want to be, we want all the tribes and all the organizations to be able to emulate and do stuff like this with their Indian youth. I think that would be the goal, the more programs we can create for Indian youth, I think the better,” Ware said.
Overall Wares is grateful for this program and for all of the help he has received. He’s thankful for the OJS, BIA and the Beauru of Indian Education, as well as their consistent support year after year. “Making this a permanent program that’s going to be beneficial to all of Indian country and that’s one thing that the director also wanted to make sure that we emphasize that this program is not just for Oklahoma Indian youth, this program is for all Indian youth,” Wares said.
For more information about admission, visit the YIPA webpage, BIA-BIE Youth Indian Police Academy.
