Binghamton University police launch program to engage with local youth

Lt. Steven Faulkner (second from left) and Officers Shane Robinson, Lucas Walter and Charles Harford, from the New York State University Police at Binghamton, take part in the Youth & Police Initiative (YPI), a training program created by the Massachusetts-based North American Family Institute to enhance police officers' understanding of the beliefs, values and experiences of local youth, while ensuring that youth develop a genuine regard for the challenges that police officers face on the job. Police officers from Binghamton University launched the training program to connect and improve relationships with local youth from June 6-10, at West Middle School in Binghamton. The Binghamton University Police Department received a $15,000 grant from the Community Foundation for South Central New York to fund the YPI program, which allows Faulkner, the program’s main organizer, to train officers from NYS University Police, Binghamton Police and Johnson City police.