Youth Services
In September 1992 the Youth Services Unit was formed. It became apparent that the needs of the youth attending County schools, institutions and facilities dictated a specialized approach and a team effort. The unit was staffed with a Lieutenant and two detectives. The model used, which was a new concept in 1992, was the Community Policing Model. This is still the unit's philosophy today. The community we serve is the clients, students, and participants of the various county agencies that serve the juveniles of Bergen County. The agencies include the two county school districts with twenty-two sites, the Bergen County Division of Family Guidance, Juvenile Probation and the Bergen Regional Juvenile Psychiatric Services. Family Guidance offers a multitude of services including residential programs. The residential programs run the gamut from one secure restrictive setting to one shelter care setting to three independent living settings. All of the above mentioned are served on a daily basis by the Youth Services Unit, effectively and within the legal/social guidelines of our times.
In the past years, the unit has supported the needs of the juveniles in Bergen County in a variety of areas. This includes juveniles in crisis and cases of juvenile delinquency including victims as well as suspects. Crisis incidents demand sensitivity and expertise dealing in psychiatric and traumatic events. The unit dedicates a substantial amount of time to officer education programs in the school districts. These include DARE and the Bergen County Police Liaison Program as well as specialized education needed in specific areas like violence, domestic violence, bias incidents or any area that seems to involve juveniles as victims or participants in that type of delinquency. In this period the unit has handled for than 3,500 events directly related to this juvenile population. This population numbers about 5,000 on any given day. The juveniles that are taken into custody by the unit have been involved in a variety of delinquency both violent and nonviolent. In most situations no matter how serious, the juvenile and the officer usually develop a rapport. The unit has also developed long time relationships with the directors and staff of the county agencies. A sense of trust and partnership has evolved.
In September 1996 the unit was awarded a grant for that 1996-1997 school year. The purpose of the grant is to divert at-risk youth from court involvement. The name of the program is the Comprehensive Station House Adjustment Program. The word comprehensive separates this program from the routine station house adjustment. Service projects replace community service. Empowerment replaces punishment. Self-esteem building is the consequence for at-risk behaviors. The program is staffed with a social worker who screens the juvenile and their parents. She also counsels the youth and parents. The youth worker coordinates and supervises the service projects. One of the fruits of her work is the individual counseling that evolved in areas like inappropriate sexual behavior, neglect because of an inability to pay for medical treatment and alcoholism in the home.
In all of these instances, further referrals led to ongoing services. The plans for the future are to ratify the model agreement with the two school districts that are now under one umbrella. The model agreement is a contract that is in keeping with the Attorney General's Directive of 1988 for drug free schools. The document has been expanded over the years to include Zero Tolerance Initiatives in weapons, bias incidents, and violence. The unit strictly adheres to the model agreement and its provisions. The Youth Services Unit views this document, which is a partnership by the participants, as the essence of Community Policing.
PO Charles R. Lekowski, Systems Administrator and Webmaster
Copyright © 1998-2003 Bergen County Police Department. All rights reserved.
Revised: February 20, 2003