It’s only February, but enrollment for this summer’s highly competitive 2017 Morris County Public Safety Youth Academy has opened, with limited space available for the intensive week-long course for young Morris County women and men, entering grades nine-12 in the fall of 2017.

The fifth-annual, week-long academy is set for July 31-Aug. 4 at the Morris County Public Safety Training Academy in Parsippany.

It is run by the Morris County Department of Law & Public Safety/Office of Emergency Management, in partnership with the Morris County Sheriff’s Office and Morris County Park Police, and funded by the Morris County Board of Freeholders.

The academy offers a five-day program open to all Morris County students. It is completely free of charge to the cadets and their families.

The academy is a uniquely designed program which provides high school students exposure to and a better understanding of the various facets within the field of public safety. This program has been designed to target Morris County’s young adults at a time when they are making decisions regarding their future education and careers.

“They are in the process of making educational and life commitments that could potentially impact their careers, their character, and their communities,” said Morris County Freeholder Director Doug Cabana. “We want to give them a chance to see if public safety might be a way for them to go.’’

Morris County Freeholder Tom Mastrangelo, who is the county governing board’s liaison to the Department of Law and Public Safety, said “This is an investment in the youth of our county, and a chance to interest some of the brightest young people who live in Morris County to consider being future leaders in our vitally important public safety team. The Youth Academy is a unique program that exposes cadets to all facets of the public safety profession.

This intensive program will provide cadets with specially designed training and hands-on experience in the fields of police, fire, EMS, emergency management, and more.

To get more information or to apply for enrollment, visit: https://morrisoem.wixsite.com/mcpsya17.