By Dave Branco

RCMP Youth Academy

From recruit to officer: RCMP Youth Academy returns for 20th year in Prince George

Mar 17, 2026 | 1:56 PM

PRINCE GEORGE – Twenty-eight young people from across Northern British Columbia are trading their spring break for early mornings, uniforms, and a taste of life as a Mountie. The RCMP Youth Academy kicked off this weekend in Prince George. For one officer helping run the program, it is a return to where his career began. ​

Sunday was day one of a week-long program that has shaped future officers for more than two decades. This year, 28 students from across Northern B.C. gathered at College Heights High School, ready for a schedule that runs from six in the morning until eleven at night.

​Students will room together, be fitted in uniforms, and take part in police dog demonstrations, emergency response team showcases, and classroom lessons on the Criminal Code and powers of arrest.

Getting here was not easy. Students applied through their high school counselling offices and faced a panel interview with the RCMP and school district representatives. The program is open mainly to Grade 11 and 12 students who meet specific criteria, and they earn school credit upon completion.

PG Blizzard Speed Skating

$14,000 worth of donations huge boost for Prince George speed skaters

15m ago

Spruce City Wildlife Association

Spruce City Wildlife Association losing out

49m ago

RCMP Youth Academy

From recruit to officer: RCMP Youth Academy returns for 20th year in Prince George

2h ago

​For Corporal Warn, this week carries personal weight. He went through this program as a teenager. Nervous, uncertain, but determined. This week, he is on the other side, helping guide the next generation.

​He says the experience didn’t just prepare him for a career, it removed the fear of what was ahead.

​​Dozens of RCMP officers are volunteering their time to run the program. For the 28 students attending this week, the experience will end with a final drill demonstration and a certificate that could spark a future career in policing.