The Delaware Chapter of the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives is partnering with DuPont and Delaware State Univ. on two new pilot programs for high schoolers.
The after school programs at Howard High School in Wilmington and DSU’s Early College charter school in Dover give students a look into the lives of police and first responders.
Program creator and retired Delaware State Police officer William Chapman said the goal is to create a path for young people to enter law enforcement, especially women and minorities.
“And it will serve two purposes: get students excited about the criminal justice system, preferably policing, and at the same time expose them to as many police officers as possible so we can deal with some of the social issues that some communities have with police.”
Chapman said the eight-week program has already seen success at the college level, where more than 50 graduates are now employed by public safety agencies across Delaware and the country.
“It’s been a really good exchange. The students have an opportunity to have candid conversations. And the police officers get to see our students in a different light than they may see in other situations.”
He said he hopes to expand the program statewide in the coming years.
