Orange Beach, Gulf Shores Police to Host Teen Cadet Interest Seminars
Coastal Public Safety Cadets, a law enforcement program for ages 14–18, will hold interest seminars at 6 p.m. Nov. 30 at the Orange Beach Police Department and Dec. 2 at the Gulf Shores Police Department.
ORANGE BEACH, Ala. — Teenagers on Alabama’s coast who have wondered what it takes to wear a badge will get a chance to find out this winter. Coastal Public Safety Cadets, a program that introduces young people ages 14 to 18 to careers in law enforcement, will hold police cadet interest seminars in Orange Beach on Nov. 30 and in Gulf Shores on Dec. 2, according to the program’s announcement.
Both sessions begin at 6 p.m. and are designed for teens who are already drawn to police work as well as those who are simply curious about it.
Seminar dates and locations
The two interest seminars will be hosted at each city’s police department:
- Orange Beach: Monday, Nov. 30, 2026, at 6 p.m., Orange Beach Police Department, 4480 Orange Beach Blvd., Orange Beach, AL 36561
- Gulf Shores: Wednesday, Dec. 2, 2026, at 6 p.m., Gulf Shores Police Department, 312 Medical Village Blvd., Gulf Shores, AL 36542
Holding one session in each city gives families from both beach communities a nearby option, and the two dates offer flexibility for students juggling school, sports and holiday schedules. The Orange Beach session falls on the Monday after the Thanksgiving holiday weekend, while the Gulf Shores session comes two days later.
The Gulf Shores address on Medical Village Boulevard is also the street where the city has been building its new Justice Center, the facility that is becoming home to the Gulf Shores Police Department and Municipal Court.
What the cadet program offers
According to the announcement, Coastal Public Safety Cadets is an apprenticeship and preparatory program for young people interested in law enforcement. It pairs hands-on learning with community involvement, giving participants a look at police work and at the responsibilities that come with serving others.
The program announcement lists four things participants can expect:
- Hands-on experiences
- Learning what police officers do
- Getting involved in the community
- Exploring a future career in law enforcement
Cadets are taught the fundamentals of policing and the role officers play, organizers said. Those lessons are meant to help young people understand the profession while they decide whether it is the right path for them.
Service at community events
Helping out at community events is built into the cadet experience, according to the program. Beyond classroom-style lessons about policing, participants pitch in at local gatherings, which gives them a firsthand view of how officers interact with residents and visitors and how community involvement connects to a career in public safety.
That kind of exposure can be especially relevant in Orange Beach and Gulf Shores, where tourism draws large numbers of visitors to the beaches and police departments handle everything from traffic and crowd management to everyday calls for service in neighborhoods.
No commitment required to attend
Organizers emphasized that teens do not need to have settled on a law enforcement career to attend an interest session. The seminars are intended both for young people who have already set their sights on policing and for those who are just beginning to explore the idea.
For parents, the sessions offer a chance to learn about the program alongside their teen and ask questions before deciding whether to pursue it further.
A path toward a career
Youth cadet and preparatory programs give students an early look at a profession that typically requires significant training later on. In Alabama, sworn law enforcement officers must meet standards set by the Alabama Peace Officers’ Standards and Training Commission, including completing a certified police academy. A cadet program does not replace that process, but it can help a young person learn what the job involves long before reaching the age to apply.
Programs of this kind can also help local agencies connect with young residents who may one day want to serve the communities where they grew up. Coastal Public Safety Cadets describes its focus as helping teens explore whether a law enforcement career fits their interests while giving back through service.
At a glance
- Program: Coastal Public Safety Cadets
- Who: Teens ages 14–18 interested in, or curious about, law enforcement
- Orange Beach seminar: Nov. 30, 6 p.m., 4480 Orange Beach Blvd.
- Gulf Shores seminar: Dec. 2, 6 p.m., 312 Medical Village Blvd.
- Focus: Hands-on experience, policing fundamentals, community service and career exploration
