HARKER HEIGHTS, Texas (KXXV) — The Harker Heights Police Department has implemented an intervention program that redirects teenagers away from crime through education rather than punishment. The initiative, started by former Police Chief Beital Hawkins, addresses the majority of teen crimes in the area - theft and traffic violations. Instead of issuing citations or jail time, qualifying juveniles attend educational classes. If they fail to attend, parents pay the associated fines.
- Intervention Program Launch: The Harker Heights Police Department has implemented an educational intervention program for juvenile offenders, championed by former Police Chief Beital Hawkins, that focuses on redirecting teens' lives through education rather than traditional penalties like tickets or jail time.
- Target Demographics and Crime Statistics: The program primarily addresses theft and traffic violations among teenagers, with the Harker Heights Municipal Court recording 13 juvenile traffic violations since the beginning of the year, including speeding incidents.
- Program Structure and Consequences: Qualifying juveniles attend educational classes as an alternative to community service, but if teens fail to attend the sessions, their parents are required to pay the associated fines, creating accountability for both students and families.
- Community Support and Perspective: Local resident Nicole Montes supports the initiative, believing it provides necessary reality-based education for youth who she feels are overly protected by current school systems and need to understand real-world consequences of their actions.
Check out the story:
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
The Harker Heights Police Department has an intervention program designed to help juveniles who commit minor offenses, offering education instead of traditional penalties.
For Nicole Montes, a Harker Heights parent, the program represents a positive step forward for local youth. Even though she tries to maintain proper etiquette standards for her son, she sees value in the initiative.
"We try to teach our son in a way that we are very big on image," Montes said.
The program was championed by former Police Chief Beital Hawkins and focuses on redirecting teenagers' lives rather than simply issuing citations or jail time.
"How can we create an intervention program that would assist these juveniles that are creating issues in the area instead of just stopping them, giving them a ticket, or putting them in jail," said Crystal Thomas, spokesperson for the Harker Heights Police Department.
Thomas explained that the majority of teenage crimes in the area involve theft and traffic violations.
According to the Harker Heights Municipal Court, there have been 13 total juvenile traffic violations since the start of the year, including speeding incidents.
The educational class serves as an alternative to community service for teens. However, if participants fail to attend, their parents must pay the associated fine.
"You can really tell they've actually taken in what they are learning," Thomas said.
Montes believes the program could provide valuable real-world perspective for young people.
"I think they would really benefit from the reality of what could happen to them," Montes said.
She expressed concern that the current youth generation struggles to understand life's consequences compared to previous generations.
"I feel like schools nowadays kind of hold their hands a bit too much," Montes said.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
