For years a number of organizations have dedicated themselves to helping law enforcement agencies improve. Those made up of law enforcement professionals from across the country and even the world have become an invaluable resource many times keeping agencies from recreating the wheel when there is a myriad of best practices to choose from. The International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) is one of those resources.
Like many specialized populations, the IACP recognized that interacting with youth could benefit from a broader understanding amongst law enforcement, especially patrol who predominately encounter challenging interactions. In partnership with the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP), Office of Justice Programs and the U.S. Department of Justice, the Improving Law Enforcement Responses to Youth Training and Technical Assistance program was funded and aims to increase the capacity of law enforcement to reduce juvenile crime, delinquency, and victimization based on the following goals:
- Increase the focus on juvenile justice issues within the law enforcement community
- Encourage the development of innovative and effective law enforcement youth programs
- Educate law enforcement and allied juvenile justice stakeholders on pertinent juvenile justice issues
- Improve law enforcement’s effectiveness in promoting public safety and reducing juvenile crime, delinquency, and victimization
The IACP describe Youth Focused Policing (YFP) as “a proactive intervention strategy to enable police to intervene with youth to reduce crime, victimization, long-term health and criminal justice costs and prolonged involvement in the criminal justice system.” Part of this strategy includes training which the IACP offers both in a classroom setting, as well as on-line. They offer no-cost classes to law enforcement and other juvenile justice professionals. Courses include: Introduction to Juvenile Interview and Interrogation Techniques, Law Enforcement Responses to Adolescent Girls, and Reclaiming our Youth through Tribal Collaboration. The YFP-dedicated IACP website also has a searchable library of other resources. This collaboration is opening doors between law enforcement and the youth they serve. It also provides a forum to give a shout-out to agencies doing good work in the YFP realm.
Open Doors
The Union (MO) Police Department and Franklin County Sheriff’s Department, in partnership with the school district took the idea of opening doors for youth quite literally. As the 17/18 school year kicked off, officers were there opening doors and helping kids with their backpacks. Union PD School Resource Officer (SRO) Rick Neace and Central Elementary Assistant Principal Rob Rogers came up with the “Open Doors” program as a way for officers to serve their young community and help mitigate the often negative interactions children have with law enforcement. Often children’s only experience with law enforcement is connected to the bad choices of the adults in their lives. The interactions are often scary and create chaos and instability. With “Open Doors” officers are able to be with them in a positive environment and help them, changing their lens and renewing their faith.
Through Our Eyes
Not a new program, but one that continues to be a shining example of YFP is Through Our Eyes. In 2011, three youths, then 16 years old, called a meeting between themselves and the police. The youths all lived in Ramona Gardens, a housing project in Boyle Heights, East LA (CA). Gang violence, negative police interactions, heavy youth involvement with law enforcement and mistrust saturated the area and these kids wanted things to change. They recognized change had to start with dialogue. For the last six years, these youth led workshops have focused on law enforcement-youth dialogue. Robert Arcos, Deputy Chief for Operations, LAPD Central Bureau articulates the agency’s support and the benefit this program has not only for the youth but for the officers involved. "That gets us in the door and if we get in the door, we get a chance to maybe sit at the table," Arcos explained in a local news story. "I think that gets at the whole foundation of relationship policing and connecting." Building relationships is at the heart of YFP. One of the original facilitators, Eddie Licon, now 20 and in his 3rd year at University of Southern CA continues to assist in these relationships. Recently the program developed an 18-page training manual for other youth facilitators hoping to spread the building of relationships to more neighborhoods throughout the country.
There are many agencies and thousands of officers and other juvenile justice professionals out in their communities doing good work with youth. There are just as many youth willing to engage in dialogue with law enforcement to help strengthen these relationships. With the help of organizations like the IACP and OJJDP, agencies can continue to grow in their interactions with youth. This builds a strong foundation of trust, collaboration and dialogue. This benefits everyone in the community especially because as young people grow they become the next generation of leaders and law enforcement professionals.
Michelle Perin
Michelle Perin has been a freelance writer since 2000. In December 2010, she earned her Master’s degree in Criminology and Criminal Justice from Indiana State University.
