BY JASON THOMPSON
Greater Sudbury Police and this community?s native community are attempting to bridge the cultural and social gap.
The Police Mkwa Opportunity Circle, the first of police/youth mentorship program of its kind in Canada, was officially launched recently at Tom Davies Square.
The program introduces aboriginal teens to career possibilities within the criminal justice system.
The program was originally conceived as a way to establish trust among police and native people, as well as attempting to attract young people to the police force, said police chief Ian Davidson. He said he thinks the program?s potential is unlimited.
Lively High School student Daniella Homer said she has a better understanding of the teamwork involved between the police and the community as a result of her experience.
?This program and its implementation is crucial to relationships that must be built between students and public safety,? said Homer. ?A lot of native youth have a negative view of police officers and this program gives them an opportunity to see the behind the scenes work that officers do.?
?My father was a police officer and this program gave me understanding of what he did on a day-to-day basis,? she said.
A total of 26 aboriginal youth have been paired with police mentors.
The Police Mkwa Opportunity Circle was granted nearly $130,000 through the Ministry of Education?s Learning to 18 initiative, a strategy developed to increase the number of students graduating from high school and continuing on to post-secondary education. The program is to be comprised of six secondary courses with Internet components.
Const. David Duffy, a volunteer mentor, said that while bridging the cultural gap between aboriginal people and police, the age disparity between law enforcement and youth in general are also an issue of concern, one he hopes to amend through the mentorship aspects of the program.
