LANSING, Mich. (Michigan News Source) – Michigan’s schools are set to benefit from the infusion of expertise provided by 18 newly trained law enforcement officers who recently completed the Teaching, Educating, and Mentoring (TEAM) School Liaison Program.

Hosted by the Michigan State Police (MSP), Grants and Community Services Division, this intensive five-day training concluded last Friday and included two MSP officers, five county sheriffs’ offices and 11 officers from township/city police.

Who participated?

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The participating agencies included: Allegan County Sheriff’s Office, Battle Creek Police Department, Dryden Township Police Department, Durand Police Department, Genesee Township Police Department, Huron Clinton Metropolitan Authority, Imlay City Police Department, Isabella County Sheriff’s Office, Kent County Sheriff’s Office, MSP Houghton Lake Post, MSP Marshall Post, Muskegon Heights Police Department, Niles Police Department, Norway Police Department, Ontwa Township/Edwardsburg Police Department, Ottawa County Sheriff’s Office, and Sanilac County Sheriff’s Office.

Training police offers to empower children and school staff.

The TEAM initiative represents a school-based, law-focused curriculum designed for grades K-12. This program taps into the specialized skills of TEAM-trained police officers with a primary objective of fostering collaboration among educators, students, and law enforcement to empower children in safeguarding themselves from potential criminal threats.

Throughout the 40-hour training course, officers received comprehensive instruction covering student/ juvenile psychology, classroom management, and public speaking.

Beyond traditional subjects such as personal safety, dialing 911, understanding the law, and addressing dating violence, the TEAM curriculum has undergone recent updates. The refreshed content now includes vital discussions on school safety and security, covering aspects like facility assessments, bullying, cyber-crime, social media usage, illicit drugs, and vaping.

TEAM can assist at any education level.

One of TEAM’s distinctive features is its flexibility, allowing officers to impart knowledge at any education level – be it elementary, middle, or high school – in both public and private institutions. This aligns seamlessly with the Michigan Model for Health, making the curriculum adaptable to diverse educational settings. To date, TEAM has been successfully implemented in more than 250 school districts across Michigan.

The graduating officers are now equipped with the knowledge and skills necessary to actively contribute to the safety and well-being of Michigan’s students. By bridging the gap between law