Our Mission:

TAPS Academy bridges the gap between youth and law enforcement through evidence-based programs focused on crime prevention, school safety, service-learning, and college and career readiness.

Teen And Police Service (TAPS) Center's Blue Puzzle Piece Linking to the Programs Page
TAPS Academy Academics
TAPS Academy Training

TAPS Academy 2024 Impact Report

In 2024, we’ve seen incredible growth and progress as we continue to bridge the gap between youth and law enforcement. From skill-building to open dialogue TAPS Academy has made a lasting impact on both students and officers. Explore our report to see how your support is shaping the future and helping us create positive change in the community. Click here to view our TAPS Academy 2024 Impact Report.

What We Do

Our Goals

  • Reduce the social distance between youth and police
  • Teach crime prevention skills
  • Build community through service-learning
  • Promote and Enhance school safety
 

Since 2011, The Teen And Police Service Academy has been dedicated to reducing the social distance between our youth and police. Here's a snapshot of our ongoing efforts:

20845

Youth Served

7246

Officers Served

14493

Service Learning Hours

100

Current TAPS Academy Officers

*Data last updated August 2025.

TAPS Academy provides training for law enforcement officers and youth throughout the United States. Here are the cities across the nation that we are currently in:

Greater Houston Area 

Bell County, Texas

Waco, Texas

Columbus, Ohio 

Upper Darby, Pennsylvania 

Grambling, Louisiana   

St. Kitts and Nevis

"Youths who participated in the TAPS Academy showed significant improvement in measures of social distance, with certain subgroups (such as Hispanic/Latino and male youths) reporting more favorable perceptions of police.”

- Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention
 

The Teen And Police Service Academy is funded by the U.S. Department of Justice.