Youth Services Division
Elementary
We are pleased to announce that the T.E.A.M. (Teaching,
Educating, and Mentoring) school liaison program is now being
utilized at the fifth grade elementary level. The program will
consist of a seven-week program,
45-minute sessions.
The theme of this program is age appropriate instruction in
reducing violence, bullying, Internet safety, forming
friendships, and personal safety issues. The instruction will
provide the students with a thorough understanding of their
responsibilities as citizens, as well as the consequences of
unlawful behavior. The program also promotes positive
character traits among the students. We are incorporating the
“Connection” series, which was recommended by the
Plymouth-Canton Schools.
Officer Jamie Senkbeil is currently assigned to teach the TEAM
elementary program. She will be offering a three week program
to the second grade level. In addition to teaching the TEAM
program, Officer Senkbeil is the “Community Resource Officer”,
which serves as a resource for patrol officers, schools and
the community. Officer Senkbeil completes various community
presentations.
Middle School
The Middle School T.E.A.M. program was introduced in the
fall of 2002 and is currently being taught Middle School to
hundreds of students. The middle schools under this program
use the Middle School Liaison Officer to help out during
special events, student discipline, and school safety issues.
The administrators and support staff at the Middle Schools
consider it an asset to know a Police Officer personally, to
liaison police related problems. The intervention of this
program is important to the students as they enter their
teenage years.
Detective Ryan Krebs is assigned to implement the Middle
School Program. He has completed Community presentations in
the areas of Internet safety and Careers and continues to be
requested to speak in other classes. During the summer months
Detective Krebs facilitates a Police Youth Academy for local
middle school learn about topics such as criminal law, police
patrol operations, crime scene, and accident investigations
among others. Along with his duties as the TEAM instructor,
Detective Krebs thoroughly investigated numerous juvenile
criminal investigations and works with the courts to provide
early intervention.
What is TEAM?
In March 1998, the Michigan Department of State Police was
awarded a federal block grant to develop a School Liaison
Officer Program that would specifically address crime
prevention. The goal of developing this program is to unite
educator, students, and law enforcement to play an integral
part in preventing crime. At a time of decreasing resources
for police, engaging the community and obtaining support from
school-aged residents in the area of crime prevention will
make communities safer and reduce fear.
During the program planning and implementation phase, a team
of experienced police and public and private school curriculum
experts from across the state, began writing the curriculum in
March 1998. This program is designed to be taught by a
uniformed Police Officer, in a classroom to supplement regular
classroom instruction. This curriculum is appropriate for
public, private or charter schools at elementary, middle or
high school levels. Michigan Model’s comprehensive health
curriculum was used as a basic foundation, with law
enforcement developing an educational approach that focused on
protecting children from becoming victims of crime.
Teaching, Education, And Mentoring (TEAM) became the concept
and attitude of this curriculum. The philosophy is that while
working together as a team we could create a school-based, law
related educational program designed to promote responsible
citizenship and positive character traits among students. By
providing students with a thorough understanding of Michigan
laws and the consequences for unlawful behavior, attitudes and
behaviors may be influenced and crime would not prosper. The
program’s teaching technique is not by fear or intimidation.
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