Navigating police encounters

Navigating Police Encounters programs use scenarios and role-play to inform youth about different types of police encounters. Participants learn about the laws governing police encounters and develop effective strategies to use when interacting with police.

This experiential 1 or 2 session program gives youth an opportunity to meet lawyers and/or police officers in a shared learning environment. It uses an interactive, dialogue-based approach to build knowledge and legal life skills. Youth also learn how to access reliable legal information and support using CLEO’s Steps to Justice website (stepstojustice.ca).

Program goals:

• Build knowledge and awareness about legal rights, responsibilities and police protocols
• Develop and practice legal life skills like legal issue-spotting, effective communication, and self-advocacy during an interaction with the police;
• Introduce youth to reliable sources of public legal information and community-based supports.

Navigating Police Encounters programs can be delivered alone or used to launch a longer justice education program (such as a mock hearing or Youth-Police Dialogues). They often take place in community-based programs, such as after-school programs, homework clubs, and leadership programs, but they can be modified for classroom use.

If you are interested in offering a program that builds legal life skills and relationships between youth and legal professionals, consider following up your Navigating Police Encounters with a multi-session OJEN program such as a Mock Hearing or Youth-Police Dialogues.

Navigating Police Encounters programs can be delivered in person, online, or as a hybrid program.  Contact OJEN at programs@ojen.ca for more information or fill out the online request form.