KENOSHA — Inside the RISE Center on Washington Road, Carthage College students spent the past several months learning directly from officers in the Kenosha Police Department.
The class, created through a collaboration between Carthage professor Dr. Mathews and KPD, focuses on hands-on, real-world experience, from communication techniques to drone operations, virtual training and even tactical scenarios.
"There’s a lot of hands-on stuff that we do within the class," said senior Peter Orlandino, who’s studying criminal justice. "We learned how to communicate, how to partner with another officer — and getting those good interactions on the table is really beneficial."
For Peter, a senior hoping to go into law enforcement, the class has become more than just a credit, it's shaping his future.
"Between the internship and this class, I've learned so much about this department," Orlandino said. "Building community relations like they [officers] are with this class is something that I look for and something that I would like to continue and try to be a part of."
WATCH: Carthage criminal justice students inspired by collaborative policing class with Kenosha PD
For many students, the class reshaped how they think about law enforcement.
"We learned how tactics can just help reduce violence in general and then we learned about the drones, virtual training," said Alayna Tetrick.
They also said it opened their eyes to the complexities of modern policing.
"As a human being, having the knowledge to help another person is so important and seeing the officers so dedicated to saving lives, that's what you want to see," said Kasia Wenger.
The class has already left a lasting impression, with several students even applying to join the department after graduation.
"I think KPD is a really good example of positivity and proactive policing," said student Max Olsen. "We could learn a thing or two about what is actually supposed to be like."
As the semester wraps up, what started as an experimental class is already showing real-world impact, proving that when communities listen to each other, everyone learns.
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