A program designed to promote positive relations between high school students and the police just completed its inaugural year with encouraging results.

The Clinton Police Youth Group was founded, according to a press release, to “build a rapport between youth and police, provide mentorship to the youth, and to build leadership qualities in the young members of the group that they will be able to carry over into their adult lives.” The group met twice a month after school at the Police Department.

Sergeant Robert Sepega was the coordinator for the program, and officers Spencer Mangs and Nicholas Torino were the mentors.

Sepega described the program as having three components: a community service aspect, a mentoring aspect, and a time for fun.

One of the goals of the program was to establish leadership qualities in the group members. One way the group accomplished this was by encouraging the kids to come up with a community service plan. The group chose to volunteer at a local soup kitchen. The group also made time for fun field trips to places like the rope course at Jordan’s Furniture in New Haven.

During meetings, the group held informal discussions in which the kids could bounce ideas off the officers. Some of the topics the kids discussed were future life plans, how to deal with bullying, or what to do if the kids knew of someone who had an issue.

The purpose of the discussions was to “talk about life,” Sepega said. One instance that Sepega recounted was when a member of the group expressed an interest in pursuing a career in the military instead of college after high school. In response, the department brought in an officer who had military experience to answer any questions the group had.

Regarding the personal issues, Sepega said “what might seem like a small issue to us, is a big issue to them.”

Sepega said he believes the group was beneficial for the members who joined the first year.

“The program helps them grow up a little and figure out where the want to go in the future,” he said

Sepega said the program’s success hinged on the officers’ ability to relate to the kids and be funny and serious as needed.

“Officers Mangs and Torino worked well for the kids,” he said. “The kids loved them.”

As for the kids, Sepega believes the group showed them that “there’s more to police than when things are bad.”

Sepega anticipates the group starting again a few weeks into September and running until June. While the initial group had a handful of kids, Sepega said the goal for next year is to have around 15 members join.

Kids interested in joining the group next school year must be high school aged and should email Sergeant Sepega at rsepega@clintonct.org, or call the Clinton Police Department at its non-emergency number, 860-669-0451.