Town OKs internship in police department
The Town Board has approved a police department internship program for a Kingston High School senior.
The student, whose name was not provided, will observe police work for about 54 hours.
“I think if we establish this and let one person engage in it, report back on it in six months as to how it went, perhaps we would get other interested individuals,” said town Supervisor James Quigley.
The board approved the program unanimously at a recent meeting.
The internship program was requested by the high school as a way to give students interested in working in law enforcement a better understanding of what that would involve.
Ulster Police Chief Kyle Berardi said the internship program is intended to help students understand police work, not provide training for officers.
“Basically they’re going to be [observing] ... dispatching and the Detective Division relative to what they’re investigating, kind of getting an overview of law enforcement,” Berardi said.
The student will not directly participate in any of the department’s functions.
“The reason I was interested when they approached me about it was ... trying to get the newer generation interested in the field of law enforcement,” Berardi said.
“Obviously, it’s a harder and harder profession,” the chief said. “Society has not made it easy on law enforcement over the years, relative to pointing out the negatives of what we do or how we do it. This is one way I’m trying to bring the high school generation, or the generation that’s looking to go out to the workforce, to ... get an understanding of what’s required of them if they should pursue a career” in police work.