Approval wanted for a program introducing students to police work in La Crosse

La Crosse police hope to open students’ eyes to inner workings of job

A new program involving La Crosse police and schools could go a long way towards changing perceptions of policing.

This month the city council is getting asked to approve a police explorer program. Basically, it would introduce teens to policing, says officer Kurt Weaver

“We want to expose high school age students to what a career in law enforcement looks like,” Weaver said.

If approved, the explorer program would begin as soon as next month, though Weaver says students are already interested. Participants would pay $26 to be involved and it would be open to high schoolers in La Crosse.  

“The more people that we expose to what our job is – not just the benefits, but what some of the bad things are, some of the things that we deal with,” Weaver said. “(So) they’re not just seeing the TV side of things. It can help us build bridges, build relationships in our community.”

The program would go beyond that, however. It would also, possibly, be a recruitment tool for those students who are thinking policing might be a viable career

“Hopefully we’re exposing students that maybe never gave a thought to what law enforcement is,” Weaver said.