Black River Technical College (BRTC) Career and Technical Center (CTC) recently hosted BRTC Police Department Chief of Police Jim Hartness as a guest speaker.
Hartness spoke to them about how to interact appropriately with law enforcement. He also spoke about what they should do if they are involved in a traffic stop and what rights they have.
“In many communities, communications between youth and law enforcement officers tend to occur when a negative event is taking place. These experiences can set the tone for a young person’s relationship with police throughout his or her life,” said Hartness. “Taking time to make formal and informal positive connections early on can help build long-term, meaningful trusting connections. We (as officers) must foster positive interactions with youth within our communities and give respect to receive respect. Developing a rapport is fundamental to successful youth interactions, and positive relationships with adults are a vital component of healthy youthful development.”
For more information about BRTC’s CTC program contact Darenda Kersey at (870) 248-4185 or darenda.kersey@blackrivertech.edu.