Commissioner of Police Turepu James Keenan has challenged 25 teenagers to take on a range of activities at the launch of the Blue Light-led youth programme this week.

The programme began earlier this week with 25 boys and girls challenging themselves in developing their social and leadership skills.

Conducted by the Cook Islands Police, the activities that end on April 28 will better-equip the young ones through a variety of life lessons, cultural and traditional knowledge, vaka sailing, demanding physical work, camp and trekking inland, and police areas of crime prevention like road safety, cyber security, drug and alcohol awareness.

Commissioner Keenan told participants: “We at Police are busy and there is much work to be done, but we have a responsibility to light the way for you all, our Youth. You represent the future.”

“The success of this will be measured one day by seeing one of you, male or female, standing here where I am now, speaking and wearing the uniform of the Commissioner!”

The youngsters are training with the Police staff and community stakeholders including local cultural and political leaders.

The youth development training involves participants between the ages of 14 and 17.

Cook Islands Police spokesperson Trevor Pitt earlier said the Blue Light programme for the youth was launched back in 2014.  

“This will be the first full time course on Rarotonga for some years as previous training courses have been held in select outer islands, as a Blue Edge initiative.”

The participants are undertaking a self-led community engagement project whilst on course. The self and group leadership skills to complete this project will be facilitated through the training. This project and their visibility in the community will allow them to demonstrate their capacity to be pro-social members of, and potential leaders in their community, Pitt earlier said. 

He added that Commissioner Keenan will be approving a small contingent of officers to oversee and manage the course, with the input and cooperation of the external agencies and stakeholders.