Edmonton police reach out to communities through youth

Edmonton police are reaching out to young people in an attempt to forge stronger relationships with their communities.

Over the past week, teenagers shadowed the city's police officers to experience their work, and the training behind it. About 40 teens graduated from the engagement program on Friday.

"We're not perfect, but this is just part of us trying to get better," said superintendent Terry Rocchio. "It's important for the youth to build a relationship with police officers, but it's also important for our members to build a relationship with youth."

• 'Nothing can make me stay': how police still try to help at-risk youth
• Ottawa police form new group to engage city's Somali community

The program is directed at young people from Edmonton's emerging communities, such as Somali, Iraqi, Syrian and Sudanese. Many of these youth grew up with a negative image of police, Rocchio said.

"Some of the youth come from different communities where police aren't their friends," he said. "We hope they get an understanding of what we do, and that we're just people. We're part of the community, same as they are."

After participating in the program, Rocchio added, the teens become ambassadors in their respective communities. They can take what they learned from police and educate their friends and family.

Participants trailed police as they combed through Edmonton's streets on routine patrols. Adyan Neameh said she was surprised and upset by how often people stopped to swear and hurl insults at the officers.

"In the beginning I was not that comfortable talking to them, but now they're my friends," she said.

In the beginning I was not that comfortable talking to them, but now they're my friends.- Adyan Neameh, program participant

Neameh was one of several first-time participants, but others were returning to the program for the second or third time.

Andrew Jimaji, whose family is from South Sudan, said he joined last year's group with a definite stigma about police.

"In the past, I was with the stereotypes on TV," he said. "Cops are bad, in the U.S. they shoot people... just having a connection and being able to talk makes a difference and changes your perspective."

The 17-year-old said he developed close relationships with some of the officers last summer, which motivated him to return as a youth leader in 2016. 

Jimaja plans to continue in the program, but said he hopes to do so in police uniform someday soon.

"I'll remember so many friends from here," he said. "I'll never forget the lessons I learned from here."