Officer Chris Townsend taught self-defense moves at Kids Camp. (RECORD PHOTO/GREGG PARKER)

MADISON – Registration is now open for Kids Camp 2013.

Madison Police Department sponsors the annual summer camp as an opportunity for rising fifth-graders to learn about police operations. The Madison Police Foundation started Kids Camp in 2001.

“Madison city police officers and volunteers will be responsible for training and supervising the children who are attending Kids Camp each day,” camp coordinator Sgt. Clayton Jordan said.

Any rising sixth-grader in Madison City Schools, St. John the Baptist Catholic School or Madison home schools can attend. Two weeklong sessions of Kids Camp will be held on the Discovery Middle School campus from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Students will attend for one week and will be assigned by the school that they attend.

For the session on June 10-14, students will attend from Horizon, Madison, Rainbow and St. John’s elementary schools. During June 17-21, the camp will include students from Columbia, Heritage, Mill Creek and West Madison elementary schools.

An important component of Kids Camp is radKIDS safety training. Madison officers have been trained for this national program (radkids.org). The curriculum emphasizes home, school and vehicle safety; out-and-about safety; realistic defense against abduction; good versus bad touch; stranger tricks; and realizing one’s own power.

Kids will be divided into four teams for good-natured rivalry while playing games and will compete with one another while learning about teamwork. Campers will need to bring a hat, sunscreen, towel and water bottle, along with a sack lunch each day. The police department will provide soft drinks and water.

Deadline for registration is April 30. Registration fee is $50 and will help to offset cost of camp T-shirts and refreshments. Funding is available with the Madison Police Foundation.

Registration forms are available at the Madison Police Department in City Hall at 100 Hughes Road, all elementary schools in Madison or at madisonal.gov.

For more information, call Sgt. Clayton Jordan at 256-772-2547, ext. 412 or visit madisonal.gov/?nid=512.