Columbus Police and Fire Youth Academy

The 2026 Bitty Boot Camp and Youth Academy are now FULL!

The 2026 Bitty Boot Camp will be June 8th-9th and the Youth Academy will be June 10th-12th!

Is your child interested in being a police officer or fire fighter? The Columbus Police and Fire Youth Academy gives students between the ages of six to twelve the opportunity to spend two to three days in an educational setting with our public safety personnel.

About the Academies:

Bitty Boot Academy is a 2-day camp for local 6-8 year-olds. Youth Academy is a 3-day camp for 9-12 year-olds. Each day of camp lasts from 8:00am until 3:00pm.The camps are free and participants are expected to attend all days of their camp.

During the Academies, the campers will participate in a number of “hands on” activities including obstacle courses, physical fitness exercises, team building events, fire safety, and fire prevention. Various types of equipment from fire trucks to specialized police vehicles and boats will be on hand for the campers to inspect and learn more about. Campers will have a chance to talk with members of the CPD SWAT Team, Hostage Negotiators, Swift Water Rescue, Bomb Team, Dispatch, EMS, and much more. In addition, police dogs will also be on hand for a demonstration. The academy will conclude with a brief graduation ceremony that families are encouraged to attend. Lunch and an academy shirt are provided to all campers at no charge thanks to our generous sponsors. 

Requirements:

– The child must be a Bartholomew County resident
– The child must be the age at the time of camp within the age group they are registered for
– Submission is made by one parent or legal guardian
– Accurate information was provided during registration
– The child must have their own transportation to and from camp
– There must be a nearby emergency contact that can respond, if needed
– Notifications of food allergies or restrictions will be made to camp staff and/or medications will be provided to camp staff, if needed, at check-in
– Must accept CPD’s liability waiver

Registration:

Online registration for the 2026 CPD/CFD Bitty Boot and Youth Academies will open up on Monday April 27th, 2026 at 9:00am! Camp space is limited and first time attendees are prioritized over past academy graduates. Only one submission per child is allowed. Registration may close at any time once the academies are full.

If you have multiple children in one or both age groups then you must create a separate submission for each child in their appropriate camp. Select “YES” when asked if you are registering multiple children and you will be able to add the names of the other children you are registering.

The status of the child’s registration will be updated by email. Allow several business days for this email. If you have not heard anything by email by May 8th, please contact the camp director by phone and/or email. REMINDER: Registration alone does not guarantee the child’s spot in the academy.

For questions, updates, or cancellations contact:

Officer Kapczynski
ekapczynski@columbus.in.gov
812-350-4552