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Health & Fitness

My Proposal for a Law Enforcement Career Pathway at Madison Park High

To increase diversity throughout the ranks of the Boston Police Department, I am calling for the revival of the Boston Police Cadet Program, and linking it to a new law enforcement career pathway at Madison Park Technical Vocational High School.

The Boston Police Department should look like the whole city. It should be truly representative of the neighborhoods and communities it serves. Diversity in the police force will help officers build trust in neighborhoods, and trust is essential to effective community policing.

The creation of a law enforcement vocational pathway at Madison Park would not only increase diversity in the BPD, it would also prepare young people to become effective police officers trained to forge stronger connections between residents and the BPD. Community policing built on trust is one component of my comprehensive plan to improve public safety.

This pathway would draw talented young people from every corner of the city so that we are identifying and training future police officers who know our communities inside and out.

I am committed to working with a diverse search committee to identify and hire a new police commissioner who shares my dedication to building a diverse, representative police department.

Background on the Madison Park Law Enforcement Pathway:

• The law enforcement career pathway would be academically rigorous and also provide coursework in; psychology, forensic science, law and ethics, government, and other subjects that are important to police officer success. Madison Park faculty members would work with retired Boston police officers to develop the curriculum.

• Students would also participate in year-round jobs and internships with the Boston Police Department to gain real-world learning about policing practices and strategies to forge strong relationships with community members.

• Students who successfully complete the program would be guaranteed entrance to the Boston Police Cadet Program, which after two years of cadet service provides a pathway to the police academy and then to full employment as an officer with the Boston Police Department.

• The law enforcement career pathway would also prepare students to go on to study for a two or four-year degree in fields relating to criminal justice. The cadet program was discontinued in 2010 due to budget cuts. I plan to restore funding in order to finance both the Madison Park law enforcement career pathway and the cadet program itself.

http://www.connollyforboston.com/press/boost-police-diversity-connolly-proposes-law-enforcement-career-pathway-madison-park-high

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