What a King County case says about abuse in a national police youth program
In May, King County prosecutors filed sexual assault charges against a King County sheriff’s deputy.
They said he raped a 17-year-old girl.
Prosecutors claim the abuse started while the two were alone on a ride-along in his police SUV while she was participating in Explorers, a national youth mentorship program, with the Burien Police Department.
And that allegation mirrors a disturbing pattern of abuse within Explorers programs at law enforcement agencies nationwide.
We talk with a reporter who has investigated the program about what she found.
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Guest
Lakeidra Chavis, former reporter, The Marshall Project
Related Links
In Police Youth Program, Abuse Often Starts When Officers Are Alone With Teens in Cars - The Marshall Project
King County sheriff’s deputy charged with rape, sexual misconduct - The Seattle Times
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Libby Denkmann
Host, Soundside
Libby Denkmann joined KUOW in December 2021 as the host of the midday show Soundside. She’s a native Pacific Northwesterner who grew up in Redmond, graduated from the University of Washington, and covered local news as a producer and reporter with KIRO Radio.
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Gabrielle Healy
Senior Producer, Soundside
Gabrielle is a senior producer for Soundside, covering everything from politics to culture.
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