COLUMBUS, Ohio-On November 13, 21 students from Johnson Park Middle School celebrated completing the Teen and Police Service (TAPS) Academy. Over 11 weeks, officers from the Columbus Division of Police mentored the students, building trust and changing their perspectives. Eighth-grader Stev’n Clayborn, initially seeing police officers as disciplinarians and worrying about their perception of him, found the experience transformative. He shared that the officers treated him respectfully, taught him right from wrong, and helped him feel valued, rather than judged.
