High School Students Get Inside Look into Law Enforcement and the FBI

Connecticut high school students interested in law enforcement and the FBI participated in the annual Future Law Enforcement Youth Academy (FLEYA) program.

Brian Harte, FBI - New Haven Branch.

“FLEYA was created to ensure diversity in law enforcement and to introduce students to all phases of careers in the law enforcement and legal fields,” said Charles Grady, FBI New Haven community outreach specialist. “This program is for students who are not sure what career path they want to take and for those who are interested in law enforcement. At the end of the program, every student understands that no matter what their degree is in, they can work in law enforcement.”

The week-long overnight camp, facilitated by the Yale Police Department (YPD) and the New Haven Field Office of the FBI, exposed students to careers in law enforcement and legal professions. Thirty students participated in classroom training, crises situations, de-escalation tactics, and hands-on exercises taught by instructors from state, federal, and local law enforcement agencies.

Photo credit: Brian Harte, FBI - New Haven Branch.

“It has been YPD’s pleasure to partner with the New Haven FBI to bring FLEYA to Yale’s campus,” said Ronnell Higgins, associate vice president for public safety and community engagement. “I have envisioned a program like this for many years, and to see it come to fruition, running successfully, and benefiting students of Connecticut, is fulfilling. Students in FLEYA get an opportunity that most students interested in law enforcement don’t, to learn about the many facets of law enforcement and to hear from leading experts in the industry.”

There is a three-step process to get accepted to FLEYA. Students must be 16-18 years old attending a high school in Connecticut. They must submit a 500-word essay describing how they integrate the FBI’s motto: Fidelity, Bravery, and Integrity into their daily lives. Students whose essays were chosen are scheduled for phone interviews. The final step in the process is in-person interviews before a panel.

Grady has seen the number of applications for FLEYA increase annually. “We receive hundreds of applications every year,” he said. “We used to limit the number of students, but we have expanded the program to accommodate 30 students, equally balancing the number between girls and boys. We select students from urban and suburban areas who are well balanced with lived experience.”

Jake Zaccagnini, a FLEYA student from Shelton, grew up in a law enforcement family but said participating in FLEYA has been a great opportunity.

I’ve decided that I want to be a special agent. It sounds like a goal that I want to achieve. – Zaccagnini

“FLEYA has broadened my thoughts on being in law enforcement. I only knew about police officers and state troopers, but learning more about the feds has definitely opened my eyes to the different law enforcement opportunities,” Zaccagnini said.

Zaccagnini said he’s unsure what to major in but learned in this program that students should do what they enjoy. “Every day, we were told to do what we love and want to do, and there will be a fit in law enforcement.”

The FLEYA program concluded with a graduation ceremony for the students.

Established in 2015, Grady said the program is starting to see the “fruits of its labor.” Alums from the program are working in various roles in law enforcement, and FLEYA programs have been replicated in New Orleans, Milwaukee, and Denver.