Eleven Young Residents Complete Police Department Internship

Eleven young Pasadena residents have finished a summer internship with the Pasadena Police Department, closing out a citywide paid program open to Pasadena residents ages 14 to 24 from low- to moderate-income households.

Participants earn up to $2,000 for training and a 110-hour, six-week assignment with city departments, according to the City of Pasadena, up from the 100-hour assignment the city described when applications for this year’s program opened in February.

The program, Realizing Opportunities through Skillful Employment, is sponsored by the Parks, Recreation and Community Services Department and places interns in recreation, day camp, clerical, technology and police assignments across the city. Assignments are filled first come, first served, and interns “will be required to attend a mandatory training prior to beginning work,” according to the city’s program materials.

Eligibility is narrower than the school district it draws from. Only residents of the City of Pasadena qualify. Altadena residents cannot apply, and neither can Pasadena Unified School District students who live outside city limits in communities such as Sierra Madre, Monrovia or South Pasadena. Applications for this year’s session opened Feb. 2 and closed Feb. 27.

Work performed inside the city carries its own wage floor. Under Pasadena Municipal Code Chapter 5.02, adopted by the City Council on March 14, 2016, the citywide minimum wage rose to $18.57 an hour on July 1 from $18.04, and it applies to adult and minor employees who work two or more hours in a week within city limits. Los Angeles’s citywide rate reached $18.42 on the same date and unincorporated Los Angeles County’s $18.47, according to those jurisdictions’ wage agencies. California’s statewide minimum is $16.90 an hour. The Pasadena ordinance is enforced by the city’s Planning and Community Development Department, requires employers to post the current rate where employees can read it, and makes violations subject to criminal prosecution.

The police session was led by retired Pasadena Police Sergeant Glenn Thompson, a 31-year department veteran. Interns took part in leadership development, public speaking and life skills workshops, mentorship and department tours, and worked crime scene processing with the Forensics Unit, according to the city. They learned about the police hiring and background investigation process, discussed the impact of social media, rode along with patrol officers and Park Safety Specialists, and observed Public Safety Dispatchers. They explored the Pasadena City College campus and covered higher education resources, financial planning, budgeting and responsible money management, and they met city leaders including the mayor while attending a City Council meeting.

Interns assisted at the annual Car Show and at National Night Out. The summer ended with each intern presenting a personal vision board to Police Chief Gene Harris, command staff, family members and invited guests. City staff working with the group included Recreation Coordinator Elizabeth Luna, Community Services Representative Eboni Davis, Commanders Sean Dawkins and Bill Grisafe, and Program Coordinator Ena Kessler.

Applications and program details are posted at https://www.cityofpasadena.net/parks-and-rec/rose/. Questions about the police department’s session go to Program Coordinator Ena Kessler at ekessler@cityofpasadena.net.