Albany, NY – On November 6th, Albany Police Chief Stephen Krokoff was joined by Albany Probation’s Laurie Lainhart, LaSalle School’s Bill Wolff, and David Peters from the North American Family Institute to congratulate professionals and youth participating in the Youth Police Initiative (YPI) hosted by LaSalle School between October 28th and November 6th.
For the trainees, it was the completion of the first of four, six-day, courses required for them to become full-fledged trainers in the YPI program. The participants were from Albany County’s police and probation departments, and the Albany County Juvenile Reporting and Family Center (JRFC). In what was coined a ‘train the trainer’ program, they ‘practiced strategies’ learned from certified YPI trainers with the youth who were from LaSalle’s Evening Reporting Center, a division of the Albany County JRFC.
In his remarks to the audience of more than seventy-five, Chief Krokoff said improved understanding and dialogue between the two groups was essential to breaking down barriers and creating a better Albany. He praised the efforts of the police and youth participating in YPI, and signaled how important this work was to the City of Albany, the department, and him – personally.
Certificates of achievement were awarded to each teenager recognizing their completion of the YPI program. The three remaining training sessions for the professionals will be held with new classes of youth and will, no doubt, offer different and unique challenges that will strengthen their skills as a Youth Police Initiative trainer.
Certificates of achievement were awarded to each teenager recognizing their completion of the YPI program.