Officers to mentor students at 2 schools

The Canton Police Department is partnering with the Cherokee County School District to start an officer mentorship program at Teasley Middle School and ACE Academy in Canton.

“This new initiative is geared toward giving youth that are facing challenges in their personal, social and academic lives the opportunity to build positive mentoring relationships with officers that serve in their communities,” Canton police said in announcing the program on their Facebook page.

With parental consent, officers will seek to build trust with struggling students. In addition to building youth’s self-esteem and confidence, the effort seeks to reduce rates of delinquency and alcohol or drug use, create an attitude less accepting of violence, and increase positive attachments to friends or mentors.

The program is to begin in March, with officers meeting with students one day a month until the end of the school year.

Information: http://bit. ly/2mcMxsa