Missoula Sheriff’s Department Takes Teens Camping

48 Missoula teenagers are camping this week with a bunch of Missoula County Sheriff’s deputies. Public Information Officer Brenda Bassett, says they loaded up buses for the trip on Sunday, July 19th.

"A bunch of kids loaded up on the busses and they went out our Missoula County Law  Enforcement Youth Camp," Bassett said. "It runs until the 23rd up in Seeley Salon. It's a really exciting time for kids to interact with law enforcement and kind of add that positive interaction. They do a lot of fun stuff during the week."

The Missoula County Law Enforcement Youth Camp has become a tradition for the sheriff’s department and provides both deputies and youth a non-confrontational way to understand each other.

"This is our 50th year, so it's even more exciting that it's been going on for 50 years," Bassett said. "It started with some guys that just said kids get in troubles because they get bored and so this is an opportunity for kids to get out and see what the outdoors has to offer them. It's a good time for the law enforcement to be able to bond with those kids as well."

All of the students that attend the camp are referred to the sheriff’s department by other local organizations. The goal is to help put as many “at-risk” youth as possible on a better path.