WEST PALM BEACH, FLA. (July 8, 2020) – The West Palm Beach Police Department (WPBPD) has officially launched “Building Bridges,” a summer internship program that allows officers and civilian staff to interact, educate, and ‘build bridges’ with West Palm Beach youth. 11 local high school students were selected to participate in the program. Interns will learn about criminal investigations, dispatch, records and (if eligible) patrol. Additionally, the interns will engage in weekly educational and interactive workshops to discuss and learn about various law enforcement topics.
The goal of Building Bridges is to provide the interns with valuable insight into the City's law enforcement system. The interns will also be able to provide feedback through their work and ideas for enhancing programs to help improve the quality of WPBPD’s service. The students will have an opportunity to engage with Chief Frank Adderley. Program participants were chosen based on the following criteria: ages 16-18 years, City of West Palm Beach residency, and attendance at Palm Beach Lakes High School or Forest Hill High School.
“Building Bridges is a wonderful opportunity for the West Palm Beach Police Department and our city’s youth to build a better relationship through connecting, learning and sharing ideas,” said West Palm Beach Mayor Keith A. James. “In recent weeks, events nationwide have underscored the need for mutual understanding between police and young people. I am honored and proud that West Palm Beach is a city where that call is being answered.”
“One of our main goals as a police department is to strengthen and establish new connections throughout the community that we serve,” said West Palm Beach Police Chief Frank Adderley. “We look forward to teaching these young ladies and gentlemen about what goes on behind the scenes at our station and how they can help us make sure we are meeting the needs of West Palm Beach residents.”
“The Building Bridges summer internship program is an opportunity for us to come together and learn from each other,” said Jennifer Ferriol, director of the City of West Palm Beach’s Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD). “We can accomplish more as a community when we anchor to a foundation of mutual respect and the understanding of different points of view.”
The Building Bridges summer internship program is part of the Mayor’s Village Initiative. The initiative is a City of West Palm Beach effort to improve the experiences of African American males 25 years and younger living in the Historic Northwest, Coleman Park and Pleasant City communities. These neighborhoods which are located in the north end of the City are disproportionately impacted by violence, crime and social/economic disadvantages. Building Bridges is funded by Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program federal funds and is administered by the City’s HCD.
For more information about the WPBPD, visit https://www.wpb.org/government/police-department/department-overview. To learn more about the City’s HCD, please visit https://www.wpb.org/government/housing-community-development or call (561) 822-1250 (TTY: 800-955-8771).
