COLUMBUS, Ohio — Teenagers took over the Columbus Police Academy to celebrate the completion of a program designed to bridge the gap between youth and police officers.
For the last eleven weeks, teens at several Columbus City schools have been working with police officers in the TAPS program, which stands for Teen and Police Service Academy.
The students learn from police officers on topics like domestic violence and the dangers of drugs and alcohol.
They are paired with police mentors, like Officer George White, who has been on the police force for 20 years.
“Once they get to know us and see that we have children and have lives and these uniforms don’t go to bed with us, they begin to understand that ok, I think the police are alright,” said White.
As students learn from the officers, they, in turn, learn from the students.
“The unfortunate thing is a lot of kids even in TAPS come from a home where they are not being fed. There has been times we have fed students, we have also clothed them, we have also had to get them to a safe place whether that is children’s service or whatnot. But it gives you a peak in their lives to what they are going through,” said White.
On Friday, the kids got to switch roles with the police officers and perform traffic stops, simulate driving while intoxicated and learn from investigators in the crime lab.
Thirteen-year-old Myesha White says the last 11 weeks have changed her perspective of police officers.
“Now I see a cop, I’m like OK, I have a different level of respect for them now, knowing what they go through and what they could go through,” she said.
The Columbus Division of Police plans to bring the program to more schools next school year.