Alvin ISD PD is tapping into a new program this year, the Teen and Police Service Academy, to build better relationships between students and officers.
Also known as TAPS, the program’s goal is to reduce the distance between officers and youth by teaming them up to work on service projects together while spending time talking through important aspects of police departments and department protocols.
AISD PD Sgt. Jermaine Jackson said the program is meant to help build a sense of community and understanding between officers and students.
“It’s all about talking with them, getting to know them and them getting to know us. It also gives them an opportunity to see why we handle situations the way that we do and get a better understanding of how each group functions,” he said.
Jackson is excited to get the program off the ground this semester with two classes of students from ADAPT. The group of 30 students will spend four weeks working with officers and TAPS educators in a classroom setting, but also working on a service-learning project that will combine learning objectives with community service. Jackson is most excited about the service-learning project because it will be a chance to truly work together while doing something positive for the community.
“The officers are excited, the staff are excited, hopefully the kids will be just as excited,” he said. “I think this is going to be a really good thing for us as a department just as much as for the kids.”