Oxford police camp helps children connect with officers

Oxford police used the first week of Camp C.O.P.S. to give children a closer look at law enforcement, from a timed obstacle course to a visit with the department’s Mounted Patrol unit. The opening session, which wrapped up June 12, mixed movement, conversation and hands-on demonstrations in a setting designed to feel more like summer camp than a formal public-safety program.

Campers started the day with an agility challenge, then learned about the horses and got to pet them. That combination of physical activity and direct contact was meant to make officers seem less distant to young residents who often only see police during emergencies or traffic stops. The department says the program is intended to help children experience law enforcement firsthand.

Camp C.O.P.S. is run by the Oxford Police Department and the Lafayette County Sheriff’s Office. The camp packet says students learn about Mississippi law, patrol procedures, traffic enforcement and practical exercises. The 2026 sessions were scheduled for June 8-12 and June 15-19, with one week for rising third- and fourth-graders and another for rising fifth- and sixth-graders. Daily drop-off ran from 7 a.m. to 8 a.m., and pickup was set for 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. The fee was $5, and each group was limited to 20 campers.

That limited enrollment matters in Oxford, where parents often look for safe, structured summer activities that are affordable and local. In a college town that shifts quickly during the summer months, the department’s youth outreach gives officers a chance to meet families before the school year starts again and regular school-related interactions resume. It also gives the city a visible example of public safety work that goes beyond enforcement.

Oxford police say the department has 91 sworn officers and more than 114 total staff, and that its mission is to “serve with wisdom and compassion and to create a safe and connected community.” Community outreach is listed as one of its specialized units, and Camp C.O.P.S. fits squarely within that effort. Officer Mark Hodges is listed as the contact for the camp application packet.

Older Camp C.O.P.S. posts show the program has become a repeat summer tradition, with campers visiting the Criminal Investigations Division, meeting detectives, learning about D.A.R.E., doing a driving course and meeting the K-9 unit. For Oxford families, the value is practical: a short, controlled program that gives children safe summer activity while giving police another chance to build trust before fall begins.