TAPS Academy

Module 1.

Exploring the social distance between community teen and law

enforcement.

T.A.P.S. Creed

We are going where we have never gone

To do what we have never done

To have what we have never had

And to no longer be an at – risk kid

But an at – Promise Teen

This is the T.A.P.S. Creed!

What we expect from you as a teen!

• Respect – we will do everything we need to do to earn your respect, but in return we need you to respect us as well.

• We expect you to give our speakers the respect they deserve.

• Over the weeks you will be taught things many your age do not get to learn, listen up.

• Treat others as you want to be treated.• Come dressed properly!

What we expect from you as a teen.

• We will do everything we can to get you through to week 15 to graduate T.A.P.S.

• If you expect us to listen to you, you need to be open to listening to us as well.

• We highly encourage you to make it through all 15 weeks, and over those weeks you will get to see many tools the Police Department get to use in daily jobs, or what they get to do as a job in the department.

Respect is earned not given!

Why are you here?

• You are part of this program because there is a social gap between police officers and teens and the community and we want you both to try and better understand where you are each coming from.

• You each have your own perspective and here, you can talk about it with each other, find out the reasons why you feel a certain way.

Houston Police Department• 2.2 Million Citizens around

Houston• 1.2 Million Calls per year• 5300 Police Officers run a city• 1700 Civilian employees• 1161 Receive a special Pay for a

special skill• 50 Police Divisions• 13 Police Stations• 35 Mini Store fronts• 112 WE NEVER WANT TO

INCREASE (Died while in the line of duty)

• 1 Chief o Police (4 Stars on each shoulder

• 4 Executive assistant chiefs (3 Stars)

• 12 Assistant Chiefs• 43 Captains (Wear Gold)• 200 Lieutenant (1 Gold Bar)• 930 Sergeants (Chevrons)• 1933 Senior Police Officers• 2089 Police Officers• 68 Rookies (PPO Probationary

Police Officers)• 830 Officers are Black (14%)• 14% are females

Break Out Sessions!

This is the time to ask questions and talk to your mentors. How do

you feel about police officers? This is a time they can help

answer some of your concerns.

Class Day (Put in PDF)Greeting and Roll Call- 10 minutesTAPS CREED and Introduction of Subject Matter Expert- 1 minuteSubject Matter Expert Presentation- 15 minutesBreak Out Session Discussion- 30 minutesBreak Out Session Activity- 20 minutesWrap-up Session and Closing- 10 minutes

Materials NeededClassroom space

Power Point ProjectorComputerPencils Paper

Police Car(PUT IN PDF)

Objectives (PDF)

• Teach teens the job of policing in your police department.

• Identify Personal Attitudes and Perceptions about law enforcement officials.

• Predict the attitudes and perceptions that law enforcement officials may have regarding at-risk teen.

• Collaborate with mentor officer to compare common teen and officer perceptions of one another’s roles within the community.

Objectives (continued) (PDF)

• Contrasting the differences of opinion that may form a gap representing social distance between teen and law enforcement.

• Recognize that perceptions about teen and law enforcement may be strongly influenced by multiple facts, including: personal experience, vicarious experiences, historical conceptions, social context, cultural identity and racial identity.

While in break out session! (PDF)

• Need to address what was gone over in the presentation.

• Teens need to know your thoughts about why you do what you do, while you are in uniform especially if they feel you are negative towards them (they may believe it is only them.)

• Let the teens talk to you about their perception on police officers as they have seen it.

Take Notes… (PDF)

• We need to learn why teens do what they when they are confronted by a police officer.

• Learn the experiences that they have gone through with police.

• When they are finished speaking maybe touch up on points that they mentioned.

ENCOURAGE YOUTH TO SPEAK THEIR MINDS.

We as adults may not like the way they speak sometimes, but as kids and teens, they need to talk also.

BE A GREAT LISTENER;THEY NEED TO KNOW YOU WILL LISTEN TO GAIN YOUR TRUST.

Activities (PDF)

• Have teens write down their perception of the police officers.

• Have teens act out a police encounter between teens and police, (maybe a traffic stop).

• Play the role of a talk show host. Have teens talk about their feelings as related to the police.

Activities (Continued)

• Have teens complete two lists. Positives and Negatives of the police.

• Have teens do the same positive and negative list in week 15 to compare responses.

• Show teens crime statistics from the city. Have them learn what police call occurs most.

Show and Tell

• You may not have time today for show and tell being the first day. It is very important to really help the teens and police become comfortable with each other.

Resources

• Taps Academy website

• Public Affairs unit

• Use your City Police website

LISTEN TO THE TEENSAnd

Allow them to speak freely!