WICHITA, Kan. (KWCH) – The annual
L.A.W. (Leaders, Achievers and Winners) Camp
in Wichita brings the chance for 140 late-elementary-through-middle-school-aged kids to interact with and get to know local law enforcement and first responders.
The objective, organizers say, is to show the campers that they have people in their community looking out for them.
“It really just cements a solid foundation in our community for generations to come,” said Taylor Clarke with the Wichita Metro Crime Commission, which puts on the camp.
Clarke said that this year, there was a record number of applicants for L.A.W. Camp, a part of the Wichita community for decades.
The 140 participants get to spend three days with first responders and local law enforcement.
“It’s really a camp designed to foster a relationship with our local youth and first responders,” Clarke said.
This comes with hopes of making sure that kids know that they can rely on those serving to protect them.
“Either they had never interacted with first responders before, or they had maybe a negative experience. They leave (camp) thinking, law enforcement, EMS, fire, military, are cool; they’re real people, they care about them, care about the community,” Clarke said.
As part of the relationship-building and educational experience with L.A.W. Camp, Wednesday featured a presentation from KBI Agent Shawn Campiti, who spoke about losing his son to fentanyl
“Once my son died, I just felt compelled to use his story to tell others about the dangers of fentanyl and the possible consequences of using fentanyl, which is death,” Campiti said.
Campiti said that he hopes that his message reached at least one person who needed to hear it.
The 2025 L.A.W. Camp continues through Thursday.
