YORK, Pa. — The York City Police Department is prioritizing the children in the community by establishing a new position to keep them on track to build great futures.
The role of "Juvenile Engagement Officer," will be taken up by Officer Joseph Palmer who says he can relate to children these days as he had a short period of delinquency in his adolescent ages.
"Now, I can kind of relate because I was there and being a younger officer, I can bring that experience from a city environment of Philadelphia into the city of York," said Palmer.
Commissioner Michael Muldrow says the new role came about after hearing many parents in the community ask for help in providing guidance for their child.
"They were trying to find somebody that can interdict or intervene before their child actually got themselves in really bad behavior," said Muldrow, "Whether it was running away, whether it was trying to drink or use drugs."
Palmer notes the program could not happen at the right time as a parent has reached out to him as the program was about to begin.
"The parent reached out to our department and it just so happened we were just about to roll out this program," said Palmer, "I've been in contact with the parents and we've gotten the child mental health and he's going to be getting back into the schools where he needs to be."
Palmer hopes families in the York community realize the whole department has their best interests.
"My focus is the engagement, getting in these houses, making sure that these families know that I'm on your side and if I'm on your side, our police department is on your side as well," Palmer said.