Youth, cops connect through nonprofit
Kids Law Academy ‘bridges a gap’ for children of color, Virginia Beach police
VIRGINIA BEACH — The police chief affixed small blue ribbons to the collars of a half-dozen kids Saturday — the culmination of nearly a year forging relationships between kids and cops.
Paul Neudigate presented six Kids Law Academy students with a certificate of completion, a blue pin in support of law enforcement and a firm handshake during its first pinning ceremony at Zion Hear the Sound Ministries. The youth, ranging in age from 10 to 17, spent the past 10 months training through the academy.
The Hampton Roads-based nonprofit introduces children of color to law enforcement careers and aims to build relationships with police. The academy launched in 2020 amid nationwide racial justice protests against police brutality.
“Where we struggle as a profession and where we struggle as an organization is really reaching down and establishing relationships where we need them — and that’s with our youth,” Neudigate said as he addressed the academy students.
The group met with Officer Tyshon McNeil of the Virginia Beach Police Department once a month from February to November for training sessions, partaking in interactive learning experiences — including forensic science, firearms safety, policies that impact communities of color and radio broadcasting.
McNeil was happy to work with the youth because it “bridges a gap I wish was bridged when I was a kid.”
“Policing is not just traffic stops and making arrests. These kids saw every aspect of it — lifting fingerprints, finding evidence, firearm safety, and mock trials,” McNeil said. “I can’t wait to start back in the spring so we can bridge the gap and fixed what needs to be fixed, starting with the Virginia Beach community.”
Myliah Pugh, 11, said she now feels more comfortable and safe around police officers.
“With this program, I learned the importance of law enforcement, and I learned that not all police are against you,” Myliah said.
Veronica McMillian, the academy director, said that new perspective means the academy was a success.
“We wanted to make sure these kids had a positive experience with police officers who look like them and with those who don’t look like them,” McMillian said.
McMillian added that support from McNeil, who is Black, and Virginia Beach police leadership are crucial in addressing misconceptions young people may have about law enforcement.
“In our Black and brown communities we always say we want to see more police officers that look like us, but what I found out in working with others is we — Black and brown people — are not stepping up to the plate. We don’t want to do that job. I wanted these kids to know that and to see that you can be a police officer like Officer McNeil,” McMillian said.
The academy will welcome 10-15 kids in February when it resets after the holidays. The seven graduates, including one was not present at the pinning, will continue to be part of Kids Law Academy as ambassadors, offering guidance to incoming participants.
McMillian, who has a background in counseling, hopes to expand the 2023 program to include addressing trauma kids may experience. She is working to obtain a certification in trauma-informed counseling and plans to have a therapist or counselor speak with the kids about the importance of properly dealing with negative emotions.
There is no cost to participate in the program, made possible by a grant from the Tidewater Children’s Foundation.
Neudigate said Virginia Beach police not only plan to continue working with Kids Law Academy, but hope to expand the reach of the program.
“You can see the enthusiasm and the positive momentum here today with just six individuals. Imagine if that was 15, 20 or 50. Imagine the impact we could have in helping to provide understanding around policing and break down some of the stigma around policing,” Neudigate said.
During the pinning ceremony, Tayten Smith. 12, shared his favorite parts of the program, which included a martial arts-style self-defense class, firearm safety and visiting a police precinct. His mother, Cherra Barbour-Smith, beamed as he addressed the room.
“And we got to see how cramped the back of a police car is — it is kind of uncomfortable,” Tayten said, eliciting laughs from loved ones.
Tayten added he prefers the front seat of patrol vehicles. While it will be nearly 10 years before he is old enough to don an official law enforcement uniform, he is considering a career with the Virginia State Police.