The Detroit Police Department at the beginning of this school year rolled out a new law enforcement training program at two Detroit high schools, reports mlive.com.
Detroit Police Chief James Craig, who announced the program alongside Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan Monday, said the "police magnet" program is something he came across while working for the Los Angeles Police Department, where Craig spent most of his career.
"Our goal is to arm our youth with tools that will prove to be edifying throughout life in addition to providing a safe environment," police said in a statement Sunday.
The three-year program will begin with 50 10th-grade students from Cody High School, a Detroit public school, and University Prep Academy, a charter school.
As they move onto 11th grade, 50 more students will begin the program each year until 150 are in the rotation.
David Foster, a 15-year-old sophomore, started the program this year. He plans to attend college for a four-year degree and wants a career in federal law enforcement.
He attends one hour of instruction daily and has a physical training class each Friday and hopes to obtain a paid internship with the department this summer.
Students are exposed to department procedures, police ethics, and some tactics.
Craig said the main goal is to create lasting relationships with Detroit's young people and to entice local residents to pursue law enforcement careers.
