Nov. 15, 2024 – Twenty-one students from Johnson Park Middle School celebrated their completion of the Teen and Police Service (TAPS) Academy on Nov. 13. Over the course of 11 weeks, officers from the Columbus Division of Police (CPD) mentored the students, transforming perspectives and building trust. Eighth-grader Stev’n Clayborn was among those profoundly changed by the experience.
Before joining the program, Clayborn viewed police officers mainly as disciplinarians and worried about how they perceived him. But TAPS shifted his perspective.
“They treated me right,” Clayborn said. “They showed me what to do. They taught me right from wrong and they didn’t put me in a box.”
The TAPS Academy seeks to foster positive interactions between police and youth. Since its pilot at Independence High School in 2014, the program has partnered with various Columbus City Schools. It addresses topics ranging from bullying and gun violence to truancy and drug use. Weekly sessions with CPD officers cover these issues while breaking down social barriers between teens and police.
This year, program participants visited the courtroom of Judge Lasheyl Stroud, lead juvenile judge in the Franklin County Court of Common Pleas. There, students took part in a mock trial, which Judge Stroud described as an impactful exchange.
“The learning was not just one-way,” Stroud said. “I learned so much from the students when they came to my courtroom. I’m sure it’s the same for the teachers as well as the CPD officers.”
Every TAPS participant is paired with a CPD officer mentor. Throughout the program, discussions centered on pressing topics such as drugs, alcohol, and gateway crimes. According to program coordinator Jenny Benson, the students emerged as thought leaders.
“It’s a very safe place for our students to come in and talk with officers about anything, not just the lessons they received in the program,” Benson said.
