(ABC 6 News) — The Rochester Police Department (RPD) was honored and presented with an award at last week’s statewide law enforcement conference.
The Minnesota Police Chiefs Association awarded RPD its 2022 Excellence in Innovation award for the department’s participation in a driver education mentoring program with the Rochester Public Schools (RPS).
RPD officers serve as guides for students participating in a program that offers driver education to RPS students who have historically not had access.
Getting a driver’s license is often seen as a rite of passage, RPD said, but some teens never try it because so many barriers—such as financial expenses, limited vehicle access, and lack of guidance—get in their way. As a result, some students resort to driving illegally, making it more difficult to obtain a driver’s license later.