Growing the Law Enforcement Pipeline from within the Classroom

We are an AACPS: Community Partnership | 2019 Business Partner of the Year Nominee

Recognized for their support of AACPS by Glen Burnie High School

One of the missions for the Anne Arundel County Police Department is to engage with residents to assure respect for law and order and to maintain strong community-police relations. For the past few years, the police department, and specifically Captain Frank Tewey, has been working with Glen Burnie High School’s (GBHS) Public Service Signature Program to put this mission into practice.

The police department has opened its doors to Signature students who are interested in finding out more about law enforcement. Students visited the 911 call center and its training room, conversed with current police and command staff, toured the facility, learned about the booking process, visited a holding cell, observed the domestics room, and even visited the emergency operations center to learn about how the community first responders go into action during times of tragedies. As GBHS Assistant Principal Doris Woodruff shared, “Captain Tewey is immediately willing to work with the school and to bring along others in an effort to  make intentional connections for GBHS students for college and career readiness in our local community.”

Taking their commitment to career connections even further, the police department identified a need for 911 call-takers and thought they should be looking at local high schools. Through endless hours and financial support, the police department has worked with the Signature Team to plan and implement a 911 Communications Course that exposes students to the idea of becoming 911 call takers before they graduate.

This new course, which after careful planning and vetting was approved by the AACPS Board of Education in Summer 2018, is taught by veteran 911 operator Janice Newman, who fielded the county’s emergencies for about 15 years. Students were required to apply and be selected for the course and meet every other day throughout the school year. Upon completion of the course, students with a final grade of an A or B receive a certificate qualifying them to apply for the position with Anne Arundel County.

This incredible opportunity is truly one-of-a-kind for high school students. As stated by Rich Burger, Signature Support Specialist, “Captain Tewey and his staff at AACo PD have created an incredible learning opportunity and possible career pipeline for our children! Nothing else like this exists nationally.  We are getting calls from coast to coast (literally Connecticut to Oregon) asking how other school systems/police departments can establish a similar program for their students.”