State Police partner with Caesar Rodney SD to build relationships with community

The STaRS program kicks off Monday, March 24. (Photo from Delaware State Police Facebook)

A state law enforcement agency is partnering with a local school district to build the relationship with communities and officers.

The Delaware State Police announced the return of the STaRS (State Troopers Actively Reaching Students) program Monday in a collaboration with the Caesar Rodney School District in Wyoming.

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Police/community relations

“It is important to build and maintain these relationships because DSP is very much a part of the community,” said Troop 3 Commander Captain Andrew Lloyd of the State Police.

The STaRS program allows troopers to engage with students, parents, and staff in a way that is different from what they may expect to engage with a state trooper, he said.

It’s been active with the State Police’s Community Engagement Unit for several years.

“During the visits, troopers have the opportunity to talk to the students, eat lunch with them, read books to classes, and participate in school events,” Lloyd said.

The department’s Troop 3 will lead the effort, which aims to building stronger relationships between law enforcement and the community through positive interactions and open communication.

Troop 3 officers will be visiting Caesar Rodney schools to engage with students, parents, and staff throughout the school day.

The program will be active throughout the rest of the school year with troopers visiting various Caesar Rodney schools several times a week.

Troopers are also incorporating extra time at PolyTech and Lake Forest High Schools, and the Delaware State Police’s long-term plan is to incorporate all of the state’s 19 school districts.

“Our goal is to foster trust and promote meaningful connections with the students and families to build lasting relationships,” the State Police said in a statement on social media. “We look forward to these important conversations and the positive impact they will have!”

Jarek Rutz

Raised in Doylestown, Pennsylvania, Jarek earned a B.A. in journalism and a B.A. in political science from Temple University in 2021. After running CNN’s Michael Smerconish’s YouTube channel, Jarek became a reporter for the Bucks County Herald before joining Delaware LIVE News.

Jarek can be reached by email at [email protected] or by phone at (215) 450-9982. Follow him on Twitter @jarekrutz and on LinkedIn.