All students have a time as they near the end of their high school when they start to explore what they would like to do for a living out in the real world.
The students at The Point/Arc, a nonprofit in Covington, Kentucky serving people with developmental and intellectual disabilities, are no exception.
For over 12 years, the Independence Police department has partnered with the Point/Arc to allow students to come to the police department and try it out to see if working at the police department might be something they want to do.
“All of the high schools do career exploration, and these students have special needs, so in their junior and senior years they have a program at the Point/Arc where on Tuesdays and Thursdays they visit places where they can see what people do,” said Katie Lanham, who is the teacher for the program. “It is up to their school, where they go on the other days, and their parents if they want to do the program, but at some time in their last two years they are expected to go through a transition course to get ready for the workplace.”
This year the students are from Scott, Lloyd, and Dayton high schools, and one is home schooled.
Catherine Weger, who works with the Independence Police, has been in charge of the student program for over 12 years. Her sister worked at the Point/Arc when the program started, and the police department volunteered to be one of the businesses the students can visit. She said Chief Tony Lucas believes in working with the community.
“It’s not always about crime,” Lucas said. “This is another way to touch a different aspect of the community. You want them to succeed, and if we can have any part of that when we’re with them, we’ve done our job. Hopefully we’ve taught them something.”
Weger said when the program first started, the students would come for an hour every Tuesday and Thursday for six weeks. Now the program consists of four weeks of Tuesdays and Thursdays.
“I think they look forward to coming here,” she said. “I try to think of things for them to do that they would be interested in, but still let them see all the things we do, even the boring stuff.”
At the second session this year, with seven students, six boys and a girl, she first set them to filing, shredding documents, and then washing the police cars. She said that while they were bored with the office work, they loved being outside doing tasks.
Later they got to ride along with an officer, and try out the lights, the radio, and the sirens. Weger said they only make a loop around the city, but it is definitely one of the highlights of their visit.
“Of course, they always want to know the gory parts,” Weger said with a laugh.
She has them learn the basics of CPR, and watch the detectives lift fingerprints. They all seem to be interested in the guns, and officers show them safe ways of handling a gun, with the rubber weapons they let the cadets use.
The students have to be back in Covington by 3 p.m., so Weger always times their activities to the hour they are at the department.
“They get their photo taken so they have a lanyard with a badge, and they like wearing the badge,” Weger related. “They felt like they should be more dressed up, so now they wear polo shirts, and they feel very much a part of things here.”
Officer Josh Salyers and the new police dog, Jocko, gave the students a demonstration Thursday, and they seemed very impressed by the interactions of the police partners.
“I liked learning about the K9 police officer,” a student named Tanner said.
Salyers took them outside to see how the two partners travel in the police car, and then he showed them back of the car, where treats and equipment are stored.
“I liked seeing the K9 police car and all the supplies,” Ryne told his teacher.
“I liked learning about the response of the police dog,” Alex remarked, smiling when Jocko played with the tennis ball.
Weger always makes sure the students get something when they are ready to leave. She said the first day it was raining, and they were able to get umbrellas. Sometimes they get a coin, or a chip clip or something that the department keeps to give out at events.
Their teacher, Katie Lanham, said they are at the Point/Arc on Fridays also, and that’s when they talk about their visits, and at the end of the month, they write thank you notes.
Weger said she always loves to read the thank you notes. She likes to host a ceremony at their last visit, with refreshments, where she officially ‘graduates’ the students, giving them each a certificate of completion.
“It is hard to make sure the hour is full and to try to think of all the things they would like to learn about,” Weger said. “The month goes by quickly, and all the effort is worth it when I see their faces light up and I know they really liked something. I know it is opening their world.”
