Rhode Island College

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Davis, Karen A

Rhode Island College
Digital Commons @ RIC
Broad Street Studio Youth Program
7-19-2002
Teens give insights to police trainees: Teenageres
developed a workshop to help the police learn how
to Interact more positively with young people
Karen A. Davis
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This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Youth Program at Digital Commons @ RIC. It has been accepted for inclusion in Broad
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Recommended Citation
Davis, Karen A., "Teens give insights to police trainees: Teenageres developed a workshop to help the police learn how to Interact
more positively with young people" (2002). Broad Street Studio. 19.
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Projo.com I Providence 1 Careers 7/23/02 10:22 AM 
Teens give insights to police trainees 
Teenagers developed a workshop to help the police learn how to interact more 
positively with young people. 
07/19/2002 
BY KAREN A. DAVIS 
Journal Staff Writer 
PROVIDENCE -- "We've got a report of a disturbance on Willow Street, possible drug dealing ... " 
came the mock radio dispatcher's call. 
Two officers respond to the "scene," a porch where a group of teens are listening to music, play-
fighting and cracking jokes with each other. 
Would the young officers respond to the porch ready to pounce on the urban youth, whom they 
might have 'already stereotyped as thugs? 
Or would they approach the call with the goal of de-escalating the situation, maintaining their pledge 
to protect and serve? 
The scene last week at the Provi9ence Police Training Academy was not real. But the situation was all 
too familiar to city youths, whose exposure to the police is often under not-so-friendly 
circumstances. 
And so they came to the academy .to share their insights and suggestions with about 43 police 
recruits. 
The session -- which included more than 20 teens from Youth In Action, AS220/Broad Street and 
Providence Youth Student Movement, a new organization of Southeast Asian members -- was 
designed by youth to help the police develop positive, effective skills in dealing with young people. 
The idea for the ground-breaking workshop came about after teens from a half-dozen organizations 
got together at roundtable sessions to discuss ways to make the city better for teens, said Karen 
Feldman, executive director of Youth In Action. One way of reaching that goal is to decrease the 
violence, the teens concluded. 
Roundtable participants also agreed that the police should be part of the solution -- because they 
felt that some officers have been part of the problem. 
"Youth don't feel like police are there to protect them," Feldman said. "They feel that they are there 
to hu_rt them." 
Despite their negative experiences, Feldman said, the teens pushed and cajoled administrators in 
order to talk with the new recruits because they believe that positive changes can be made by 
working with young officers. 
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Projo.com I Providence I Careers 7/23/02 10:22 AM 
The teens hope that the July 11 workshop will not be the last time they get the opportunity to 
conduct the training workshop at the policy academy. 
By using role-playing and interactive activities, the teens designed the workshop to illustrate what 
experiences and concerns the police and teens have in common as well as to challenge assumptions 
based on their age, neighborhood or skin color. 
The first excercise had youths and the police stand in a huge circle. As one teen read from a list of 
statements, participants were asked to step forward when they heard a statement that applied to 
them. 
"I often feel unsafe when I am walking in the streets of Providence." 
"I would feel safer if I had a gun, or if I was walking with someone else who has one." 
Both statements prompted many teens to step forward; very few, if any officers, stepped toward 
the center of the circle. 
"I am often followed or watched suspiciously when I go into a store" and "I have been stereotyped 
because of the way I look or dress" also drew responses from most of the multiracial group of teens. 
Many of the male teens stepped forward after hearing the statement, "I have been personally 
mistreated by a police officer." 
The class of recruits -- several of whom were minorities -- and students agreed with some 
statements describing their backgrounds. Some had grown up in a low-income community, had 
parents who were born outside the United States, grew up in a single-parent family or been called a 
negative name because of race, gender or sexual orientation. 
Every police recruit and teen agreed with the statement, "I am working towards making Providence a 
better community." 
One police recruit said that the excercise served as a reminder that teens and officers might have 
different experiences, but they also might share similar backgrounds. 
The workshop grew intense at times, as police recruits asked the teens if, when confronted by a 
police officer, they could respect that the officer is simply trying to do their job. 
Chace Baptista, 16, and another teenager both said that respect is a two-way street. Speaking on 
behalf of all the teens, both said they will have respect for the police who approach them with 
respect. 
One recruit told the teens that the would-be officers know their responsibility: "They teach us here 
in the academy that when one police officer does something it reflects on us all." 
The workshop ended with several teens describing who they are, what they do to make a positive 
difference in the community and their past experiences. 
Two members of PrYSM told of their efforts to work with youth gangs and to stop the deportation 
of Cambodians. In recent months, the deportations have increased, causing the separation of many 
local families. 
Chace told the cadets that he works with Youth In Action, a five-year-old organization that helps 
low-income, minority youth to develop programs that strengthen their communities. 
http://www. p raj o. co m/cg i- bIn/go I d_p rin t. cg I Page 2 of 3 
Projo.com I Providence 1 Careers 7/23/02 10:22 AM 
At 16, Chace helps oversee the budget of the group, recently signed for the purchase of their new 
house and sits on a committee that evaluates the group's adult staff. 
Yet, Chace told them, "in my house, we weren't taught to have too much respect for police" and 
"cops only come around when something bad happens." 
He told the police that his mother was not around for most of his childhood, his father served jail 
time and struggles with alcoholism, and his grandfather has long suffered with heart problems. 
Relatives have had to take on the financial strain of raising him and his siblings in a low-income 
neighborhood. 
If they made assumptions based on statistics and stereotypes, Chace said, the police could wrongly 
assume that he was on the wrong track. 
Even with his childhood memories of "seeing cops beatin' on people," Chace said, he took part in the 
training session because he believes that this class of new recruits and the teens surrounding them 
can make change. 
Online at: http://www.projo.com/careers/contentlprojo 20020719 pacad 18.539b2.html 
http://www. p roj o. com/cg i- bi n/gol d_p ri n t. cg i Page 3 of 3 


English

Teens give insights to police trainees: Teenageres developed a workshop to help the police learn how to Interact more positively with young people

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Broad Street Studio

Rhode Island College
Digital Commons @ RIC
Broad Street Studio Youth Program
1-1-2002
Wyzdom
Broad Street Studio
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Broad Street Studio, "Wyzdom" (2002). Broad Street Studio. 113.
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Wyzdom

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Cap and Gown Convocation Program, Spring 2002

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What\u27s News At Rhode Island College

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Rhode Island College
Digital Commons @ RIC
Broad Street Studio Youth Program
1-1-2002
AS220 Broad Street Studio
Broad Street Studio
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Broad Street Studio, "AS220 Broad Street Studio" (2002). Broad Street Studio. 100.
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AS220 Broad Street Studio

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Rhode Island College
Digital Commons @ RIC
Broad Street Studio Youth Program
1-1-2002
Executive Summary
Broad Street Studio
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Executive Summary

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Crenca, Umberto

Rhode Island College
Digital Commons @ RIC
Rhode Island Training School Youth Program
2-1-2002
Letter of Intent
Umberto Crenca
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Crenca, Umberto, "Letter of Intent" (2002). Rhode Island Training School. 35.
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/ 
Letter of Intent 
Over the past year, the Education Program at the Rhode Island Training School has implemented a plan to 
integrate the arts in classroom study, to increase art offerings, and to develop a community-based arts 
program for its students. This plan is guided by a mission statement, goals and objectives that were 
developed by the Arts Education Committee-a committee of educators, professional artists, correctional 
staff, residents, and interested community members. It is now essential that assessment proceed in order to 
identify key elements of value and then determine modifications to programming. 
As a member of the Arts Education Committee and the director of AS220, I believe the results from this 
research should prove useful for evaluating and assessing the AS220 program. If data demonstrate that the 
program is building youth communities that help residents feel more confident in their transition back into 
society, this program could be used as a model for other juvenile detention facilities across the nation. 
Ultimately, this will help incarcerated youth find direction and support during a difficult time in their lives. 
In order to compile date regarding youthful offenders' attitudes toward our Arts Education transition 
program, a written survey will be conducted of incarcerated yo~nrolled in the AS220 Arts Program at the 
Rhode Island Training School. I am retaining the services of Johanna Lacoe, a senior Political Science 
concentrator at Brown University, on a voluntary basis to assist in this evaluation process. 


Letter of Intent

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Rhode Island College
Digital Commons @ RIC
Broad Street Studio Youth Program
1-1-2002
Set List, Invasion
Broad Street Studio
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Broad Street Studio, "Set List, Invasion" (2002). Broad Street Studio. 97.
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Invasion is landmark event for AS220 as it the first large-scale, 
professional, public display of the talents cultivated in AS220's 
youth program, the Broad Street Studio. Invasion represents a 
new way for AS220 to fulfill its mission of giving all Rhode Is-
landers, especially new voices, a chance to present and perform 
their artwork. 
Afterschool Workshops: An innovative transitional program 
for at-risk youth, with afterschool arts workshops held at the 
Studio every weekday, and parallel programming at the Rhode 
Island Training School. 
3-5pm, Monday through Friday, at the Broad Street Studio, 790 Broad 
Street 
Performance Showcase: Once a month, AS220's stage is 
turned over to all youth performers. Contact AS220 at 
youth@as220.org or 831-9327 to book yourself at this show 
1pm, second Saturday of every month, atAS220, 115 Empire Street 
Elementary Showcase: The Studio's Hip Hop Experience 
workshop takes to the AS220 stage for a rich evening of youth 
MCs, DJs and breakers. 
6pm, second Thursday of every month, at AS220, 115 Empire Street 
The Muzine: a magazine full of writing and artwork by youth. 
The Muzine is uncensored and will print any original work from 
Rhode Island youth. Work may be dropped off at AS220, the 
Broad Street Studio, and in other youth organizations through-
out the Providence area. 
&pm-Bpm 
8pm-9pm 
Music provided bv OJ Shv 
Performances bv BSS and Arts in the · 
Square 
Broad Street Orchestra 
Selected pieces based in Afro-Caribbean 
rhvthms and conga drums 
HipHop220 
Kareem Caines and the Stan of Elementarv 
Showcase 
Muzine 
The uncensored voice of Rhode Island's 
Youth 
Arts in the Square Breakdance 
Popping and locking to Breakbeats 


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Teens give insights to police trainees: Teenageres developed a workshop to help the police learn how to Interact more positively with young people

Wyzdom

Cap and Gown Convocation Program, Spring 2002

What\u27s News At Rhode Island College

What\u27s News At Rhode Island College

What\u27s News At Rhode Island College

AS220 Broad Street Studio

Executive Summary

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Set List, Invasion

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