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The Police Department offers programs that are designed to increase interaction between officers and the people served. 

Ride Along

The Police Department allows persons who are 15 years of age or older to ride along with Patrol Officers while on duty. The Ride Along program presents a unique opportunity for citizens to learn more about police work while improving trust between the community and the Police Department.
There are some restrictions to the program and persons under the age of 18 must have parental or guardian permission. All participants must complete a request application which is available on the Services and Information page and must also sign a waiver of liability. People who are interested in participating in a Ride Along should contact the Police Department.

College Internships

The Grand Island Police Department is always seeking qualified individuals who are considering a career in law enforcement to participate in the college internship program. This program offers challenging and rewarding opportunities for professional development to qualified students. Internships allow students to gain insight into the law enforcement profession through experiences that are rarely available in a conventional classroom setting. This program is a non-paid college internship that introduces students to a variety of aspects of law enforcement that will enhance understanding of the criminal justice system. In addition, students are introduced to the possibilities of several different types of career opportunities in law enforcement. Students who participate in the program receive academic credit for their unpaid fieldwork in accordance with the criteria developed by the college or university institution.

The GIPD program is a non-paid college internship program that introduces students to aspects of law enforcement that will enhance the students’ understanding of the criminal justice system. In addition, students are introduced to various career opportunities in the law enforcement field. Students who participate in the program receive academic credit for their unpaid fieldwork in accordance with the criteria developed by their college institution.

Applicants must first contact the internship coordinators or counselors of their college or university to find out eligibility and to ensure all college or university requirements have been met. Some institutions require that all initial contact with agencies be coordinated through their internship coordinator. The Grand Island Police Department encourages students to strictly adhere to the procedures of their school. An official document from the college or university attended must accompany the application stating eligibility before the internship will be considered.

If you are interested in taking part in the College Internship please contact Sergeant Justin Slizoski at 385-5400 or email jslizoski@gipolice.org

CoResponder Program

The CoResponder Program started in January 2022. The unit is provided by a grant through Region 3 and managed by Lutheran Family Services. It initially consisted of two CoResponders and an Outreach Coordinator. Ryan Witt,  the CoResponder/ Clinical Supervisor for the Grand Island Police Department and the Hall County Sheriff's Office,  is a LIMHP with 21 years of experience in counseling. He holds a Master’s Degree in Community Counseling from UNK.

The CoResponders go out on calls of a mental health or crisis nature. They mediate mental health emergencies with resources and options, to ensure help is immediately provided or scheduled prior to the need of an  EPC (Emergency Protective Custody) or hospitalization. This saves the Officers a minimum of 1.5 hours of patrol time in transportation to the nearest mental health hospital.  Additionally, the CoResponders respond to domestic disputes, juvenile problems, intoxication issues, and many other situations. They have a good rapport with local hospitals and the Crisis Stabilization Unit.

The Outreach Coordinator follows up with each call and helps the client determine their individual needs.  They work to contact  each person within 48 hours to help them set up services like: Therapy, Housing, Med Management, Food boxes, Bill paying, Day Services, Medical Services, etc.  They will often go out to client’s homes and help fill out applications or documents with them.

The program has grown from seeing 12 individuals per month to averaging 32 per month.