Bullying Prevention and Intervention for SRO's at the Police Department

From the Middletown Police Department.
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The Spector Criminal Justice Training Network is a nonprofit law enforcement training organization that has been providing criminal justice training since the 1960’s. A division of the company known as the “Youth at Promise Alliance” was formed in late 2008. In 2010 the Youth at Promise Alliance, a
volunteer task group comprised of subject matter experts in their respective fields, came together to
develop a training program that offers School Resource Officers techniques on how to build positive

relationships with students while protecting and serving. This program was piloted in October of 2010 under a sponsorship from Travelers and has trained 138 School Resource and Youth Officers in the State of Connecticut since that time. Currently there are 33 officers enrolled in this program being hosted by the Middletown Police Department which includes officers representing the following cities/towns: Bristol, Fairfield, Farmington, Glastonbury, Guilford, Madison, Manchester, Middletown, North Haven, Orange, Seymour, South Windsor, Stamford, Waterford, West Haven and Westport.

The course dates are July 25, 26, 27 and August 6, 7, and 8, 2018. A Lesson Plan Development for SRO’s course is scheduled to take place on August 14 and 15, 2018. Middletown Police Department is hosting both programs in an effort to get the officers trained before the 2018-2019 school year begins at the end of this month.

Training Goals and Objectives:
The six day program focuses on training SRO’s in areas such as Relevant Laws, Understanding the Teen Brain, Recognizing & Working With Adolescents Experiencing Mental Health Issues, Teen Suicide, Bullying Behavior, Substance Abuse in Teens, Diversity/Cultural Competence, Emergency Response to Schools (School Security), Gender Responsive Strategies and De-Escalation Techniques. The program has classroom presentation as well as panel discussions. The training is delivered by subject matter experts and the panels included a school administration panel comprised of a superintendent as well as two principals facilitated by Captain McKee, and a youth panel included three local youth who told their personal stories to the group of 33 officers.

Trainers include but are not limited to: Captain Chris McKee of the Suffield P.D. who serves as Operations Commander of the department’s Patrol Division and School Resource Officer program, Louise Pyers of the nonprofit CT Alliance to Benefit Law Enforcement, “CABLE” bringing community and law enforcement resources together to address common issues related to mental health, Atty. Fran Carino, who in 1979 was appointed as the State’s first full time prosecutor assigned to handle juvenile matters and served as the State’s Chief Juvenile Prosecutor from 1979 through 1996, and is currently a Supervisory Assistant State’s Attorney in the Chief State's Attorney's Office, Scott Driscoll of Internet Safety Concepts, Tammy Sneed, Director of Gender Responsive Adolescent Services for the Department of Children and Families (DCF), Division of Adolescent and Juvenile Justice Services, Dr. Jo Ann Freiberg, Education Consultant, Connecticut State Department of Education, Retired Captain, Kelvan Kearse, of the Windsor PD and currently with the Windsor Public School System, Robin P. McHaelen, Executive Director of True Colors, Inc., a non-profit organization that works with other  social service agencies, schools, organizations, and within communities to ensure that the needs of sexual and gender minority youth are both recognized and competently met, and Attorney Elliot B. Spector, President of the Spector Criminal Justice Training Network, a nonprofit 501c3 overseeing the Youth at Promise Alliance.

We hope you can join us on Wednesday, August 8, 2018 sometime between 10:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. to witness this exceptional program. Please contact Atty. Elliot B. Spector at 860.676.1115 with any
questions and to discuss a good time for arrival.