Improved ties sought among cops, young people
KINGSTON, N.Y. » A new initiative that involves the Center for Creative Education seeks to improve the relationship between Kingston police officers and area youths. During a meeting of the Common Council’s Finance and Audit Committee last week, Mayor Steve Noble asked city lawmakers to consider approving a $20,000 budget transfer to cover the cost of participation in the “Peaceful Guardians Project” through the end of this year. The transfer, which received initial approval from the committee, would move the money from the police department’s regular salary budget line to a contracted services line. The mayor said the city has some unspent money in the salary line because it has not been able to fill a couple of vacant police officer positions.
The budget transfer still must be approved by the full council, which next meets on Tuesday, Oct. 2.
“This is a project that we believe is going to help improve the quality of life of our police officers through additional training on a variety of different topics,” Noble told the committee.
Bryant “Drew” Andrews, executive director of the Center for Creative Education, said the program would offer training to police officers to improve their overall physical and mental wellness, as well as help them improve their relationship with area youths. It also would work separately with children in grades six through eight, he said. Andrews said after working individually, the two groups would be brought together two times a week for six weeks.
“It’s really a balanced approach on how to make sure that there’s a humanistic way of looking at how to work with each other,” Andrews said. He said the program aims to create a better understanding of culture and respect between the two groups.
Noble said the project has the support of Kingston Police Chief Egidio Tinti. He said the city’s 2019 budget proposal would include about $75,000 to cover overtime costs for police officers attending the training next year.
The Center for Creative Education would receive funding from other sources to run the program, Andrews said.
Noble said six to 10 officers would participate at one time and the entire project would be evaluated by researchers from Johns Hopkins University to ensure it is achieving its goals.