The Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office has partnered with three local school districts and their corresponding police departments to increase awareness and provide learning resources for law enforcement on intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) in Atlantic County. The first session of this program began in October 2022 and is concluding the third week of November 2022. The next program session will begin in spring 2023 with the districts of Brigantine, Northfield, and Egg Harbor City. The registry program will be partnering with several new districts in the future. Each week an officer from police stations in these districts partnered with a Special Education class in their respective municipality to help teach and work with young scholars who have an intellectual disability. The school districts have provided curriculums that focus on positive interactions within the school and community, positive communication skills, anti-bullying, mindfulness, and self-regulation.
The goals of this partnership are:
• To inform law enforcement about school-aged children with intellectual disabilities
;• To provide resources and tools that increase knowledge and skills in interactions with the I/DD community;
• To foster positive and open lines of communication and healthy relationships between the I/DD and law enforcement communities;
• To reduce bias and increase awareness about the special needs community
Pilot Program:• Grades 5-8• 10-15 student capacity• One 45-minute session per week• 6-week program• Certificate provided at the end of the program along with a trip to the local police station for a station tour and lunch with the Chief
Original source can be found here.
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