ST. LOUIS — Normandy High School students learned eye-opening lessons today by participating in role-playing scenarios.
On Thursday afternoon at Normandy High School, these teenagers are learning valuable lessons that are often not taught to first-time or even long-time drivers.
“There have been so many unnecessary deaths, both as pedestrians and as police officers, and fundamentally, I knew we could do better,” says Kimberly St. Clair, Doc Dash Founder.
It’s a groundbreaking pilot program that helps young drivers understand all that’s involved in a traffic stop and see things from the perspective of law enforcement.
“Because people get so nervous, they start thinking about other things besides what’s actually happening,” says Jaila Hazard, a Normandy student. “So, they can start thinking that something is going to go completely wrong when, in reality, everyone just wants to be safe.”
Kimberly St. Clair is the inventor and founder of Doc Dash, helping students and law enforcement have a positive interaction during a routine traffic stop.
“We have plenty of examples where traffic stops have gone wrong,” says St. Clair. “Unfortunately, social media only tells you the worst of the worst. Most of the reactions you’ve seen on social media have a problem and it’s usually with children who look like me.”
From simple tips like making eye contact, rolling down windows, and turning on a dome light to having your paperwork in the door pocket ready to hand over, the students role-play as drivers, passengers, and police officers.
Spoken and understood on the almost ten-year anniversary of Michael Brown graduating from Normandy eight days before his death.
“I did understand the perspective because once she said you have to roll down your windows if you have people in the back seat, I really didn’t understand that at first,” says Charlie Brown, Student. “But then I was thinking if I were a police officer and I couldn’t see inside the vehicle, I might feel unsafe about my safety too.”
“It brings a sense of calmness to you and you’re like, I have some ideas I can use,” says Aden Norman, Student. “Because when you’re getting pulled over by an officer, your mind goes into shock or static. So, you just can’t move. This program gives you an opportunity to think about how, when you’re put in that situation, you can actually think.”
St. Clair is set to take her doc dash program to more area high schools to reduce misinterpretations and tensions and promote trust.
