[Posted Jan. 9, 2008]

Minn. State Patrol Offers Leadership Training for Black Male Youth

Special to the NNPA from the Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder

   MINNEAPOLIS (NNPA)—The First Annual Minnesota Youth Leadership Academy (MYLA) at the Minnesota State Patrol Trooper Academy held at Camp Ripley in Little Falls, Minn., turned out so well that next year’s curriculum is already in the works.
    This one-week residential program came at no cost to the students—young men ages 14-16—and provided a secured learning environment for lessons in leadership, fellowship, responsible citizenship, health, community service, and life coping skills such as conflict resolution and anger management. Because this program is culturally specific, African-American young men were targeted for the Minnesota Academy, with 17 young men in attendance in July 2007.
    Applicants for the program submitted the required application, and the Minnesota State Patrol and Minneapolis Police Department chose the finalists from these forms, from community and school recommendations, and from candidates who could be considered as being at risk. In the prescreening process, these application forms were rated for appearance, spelling and grammar.
    The MYLA course was based on the successful program of the Michigan State Police. The Minnesota State Patrol provides the infrastructure—syllabus, facility, room and board, and transportation—and the Minneapolis Police Department provides selected mentor officers to assist in the teaching process.

   These mentoring officers provided support and guidance and develop a personal relationship to help the young men not only through the academy but also afterward. The ongoing mentorship when the young men returned home (meeting a few times per month) will continue until the students graduate from high school. The mentor and teens, working together, build a strong foundation in their community.

   The Minnesota Youth Leadership Academy encourages leadership by promoting responsibility, respect and trust through partnership building with local and state law enforcement. Demonstrations of routine patrol, conflict resolution, and technology showed the teens how and why the police do what they do in their community.
    In order to better understand the role of law enforcement, special units (special response team, K-9, air wing, etc.) gave hands-on demonstrations. The MYLA also included military drills, group workshops and discussions. Each attendee also rode in both the State Patrol airplane and helicopter.
    Dennis Lazenberry, lieutenant colonel (retired), Minnesota State Patrol Recruitment Division, invites school principals, teachers, counselors, community recreation center officials, clergy, family and friends to nominate candidates for next year’s academy. He can be reached by phone at his office, 651-628-6722; cell, 651-775-6712; or fax, 651-628-6797. He welcomes questions or comments at dennis.lazenberry@state.mn.us.
(This article was provided by the Minnesota State Patrol.)
 

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