Black law enforcement executives to guide MTSU students in Sept. 26 workshop

National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE) fall 2019 workshop promo; features an overhead photo of the hands of a diverse group of people stacked together in a teamwork gesture, plus the NOBLE and MTSU Department of Criminal Justice Administration logos

MTSU students will have an opportunity to address an issue that is as timely as today’s headlines in an upcoming hands-on, interactive training program hosted by the university’s Department of Criminal Justice Administration.

The National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives, known as NOBLE, will present “Law and Your Community” Thursday, Sept. 26, from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. in Room 221 of the McWherter Learning Resources Center, 1558 Military Memorial Drive.

There is no charge to participate, and all student majors are welcome.

The program, an effort to help young people improve their communication skills with law enforcement officers and their understanding of federal, state and local laws, is divided into three components.

In the citizenship module, NOBLE organizers will explain how representative democracy works and the role that citizens play in it, emphasizing participation in the electoral process.

The module also includes information on how and why laws are made and their purpose in maintaining public health and welfare as well as peace and order.

The law literacy module is intended to make attendees more aware of crimes that teens and young adults are accused of committing. It also centers on the decision-making process that could lead to criminal activity, whether intentional or unintentional.

Lynda Williams

This module includes information to promote behavior to help young people avoid being caught up in the criminal justice system.

Guidance on appropriate responses to encounters with law enforcement are the focus of the law enforcement engagement module. Participants also will learn about community policing and the realities of working in law enforcement professions.

The project is supported by a cooperative agreement awarded by the U.S. Department of Justice and the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services.

For more information, contact Lynda Williams, a professor of criminal justice administration, at 615-898-5845 or lynda.williams@mtsu.edu.

— Gina K. Logue (gina.logue@mtsu.edu)

poster for the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE) fall 2019 workshop, conducted by MTSU’s Department of Criminal Justice Administration