Wichita and Sedgwick County are working to better help juvenile offenders.
The Wichita Police Department and Sedgwick County’s Juvenile Services teamed up to create the WPD Juvenile Intervention Unit. This group will have a WPD sergeant, two detectives, and two juvenile intervention officers assigned to it. This team’s goal is to work with child welfare groups, youth groups, schools, and treatment providers, to help kids who are involved in illegal activity and gangs.
Efforts will be made to keep kids out of the criminal justice system when possible.
“We are concerned about youth involved in illegal behavior and need to improve our rates of recidivism, help our youth and reduce crime,” Chief Gordon Ramsay said. This newly created team will be investing in Wichita youth to assist them in getting the resources and support to be successful.”
The Wichita Police Department will speak more about this program during a live press conference at 2 p.m. today.
