Soon, children in the community will have the chance to participate in the annual Picayune Police Department Summer Camp.

Last year, camp enrollment reached capacity within an hour and fifteen minutes of opening registration, Capt. Theresa Milar said.

“Every year seems to get more fun,” Milar said. “It’s a great chance for children to get to know the police officers as well as have fun in a lot of activities they might not have the chance to do during the summer.”

Milar said most of the kids experience things for the first time during the camp like taking a train ride to Hattiesburg to play laser tag or playing on water slides.

“The train ride to Hattiesburg is so much fun, and a lot of times it is some of the kids’ first times on a train,” she said, adding that her first time on a train was during a previous summer camp.

Not only to the officers provide fun activities during the camp, they also teach classes on electrical safety, drug education, beekeeping and painting.

The summer camp for children ages 7-9 will be from June 12 to June 16. For children 10-12, the camp will take place June 26 through June 30. Both camps are free of charge, Milar said.

“I love this camp because the kids get to know the police officers on a different level. It’s fun for all of us and it is a great way to spend a portion of the summer,” Milar said.

The Picayune Police Department will be handing out applications to attend the summer camp on Monday, April 10, at the department starting at 8 a.m. Milar said registration is on a first come, first serve basis. The maximum amount of participants is 50 children for each of the two camps.

For more information, call Milar at 601-798-7411 ext. 7.