Local Law Enforcement Invited to Participate
The Keystone College Criminal Justice Department will offer a new course beginning in January designed to promote an ongoing dialogue between students and members of the law enforcement community.
The course, “Bridging Perspectives: Critical Conversations for Students and Police” will enable students and members of the law enforcement community to meet in the same socially-distant classroom and engage in meaningful conversations during the course of the semester as they discuss current and ongoing social, racial, and criminal justice issues. The course was created by the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) to enhance community-police engagement through constructive dialogue.
Keystone is inviting members of the local law enforcement community to participate. The college is offering the three-credit course to law enforcement officers free of charge in the form of a scholarship in recognition of their service to the community.
“This course creates a transformative learning experience that emphasizes collaboration, dialogue, and community-building while focusing on current social issues.”
-Associate Professor Stacey Wyland
“This course is so important because it builds mutual understanding of each other’s perspectives on community and police issues, especially as it relates to local communities. It also creates a transformative learning experience that emphasizes collaboration, dialogue, and community-building while focusing on current social issues,” said Associate Professor Stacey Wyland, who will teach the class. “Both students and the members of the law enforcement community will be able to share their perspectives and learn from each other. We are very grateful to the IACP for developing this unique and important course and we look forward to participating in it.”
“Our goal is to initiate a dialogue so that each group can communicate with each other,” said Keystone Criminal Justice Instructor Ray Hayes, a former Pennsylvania State Police officer, who is also involved in planning the course. “By continuing to discuss important issues that present themselves in the local and national media, and often in our own communities and our lives, we hope to create a deeper level of trust and respect between students and police officers.”
Police officers and other members of the law enforcement community wishing to participate free of charge may contact Ms. Wyland at stacey.wyland@keystone.edu or (570) 709-5327; or Mr. Hayes at ray.hayes@keystone.edu or (570) 290-2244.
