Clearwater kids — dressed in uniform — join police mentorship program to understand life as an officer

CLEARWATER, Fla. - Clearwater children experiencing homelessness had the opportunity to see what it’s like to be a police officer for a night.

The Clearwater Police Department (CPD) is partnering with the Homeless Empowerment Program (HEP) for an eight-week-long mentorship program with a dozen families residing on HEP’s campus. The weekly sessions began on Jan. 12 and will end on March 1.

Police officers guide the children in HEP's Family Program with a new learning session each week, covering topics like good and bad decision-making, career day, team building, and an education/tutoring day. 

Another goal of this mentorship program is to develop a positive, long-lasting bond between these children and the police.

"One of the most important messages is to get to know us, trust us. We're there to help people," said Dept. Chief Michael Walek. "And if we make one impression to these kids today, it's a success for us. Just building that trust and community relationship and all of us becoming community champions."

HEP's Family Program provides emergency, transitional, and permanent housing as well as critical support services to the children and families living at HEP.

All children in the mentorship program reside on HEP’s campus in Clearwater, and they range from kindergarteners to high school seniors.

"A lot of them are disadvantaged for one reason or another and there’s a lot of barriers and obstacles," said Greg Serio, HEP Workforce Development Manager. "What we do is kinda help them overcome those barriers and show them that they have more options."  

HEP offers an integrated solution to the issue of homelessness by providing low-income families and individuals, including veterans, with housing, food, clothing, and support services necessary to obtain self-sufficiency and an improved quality of life.