*The murder of George Floyd created many questions about the role of law enforcement in society.
At Lincoln University in Jefferson City, Missouri, a historically Black university, one of the nation’s newest police academies is breaking down barriers. Lincoln University Law Enforcement Training Academy (LULETA) is the first HBCU in US history to host a police academy.
Its inaugural class of 11 students included two Black women.
Lincoln University police chief Gary Hill hoped to attract students with drive when he dreamed up the academy about three years ago while working at the Cole County sheriff’s department in Jefferson City. There, he came across interns from Lincoln University, his alma mater, who were eager to find an inclusive local place to learn about policing.
“I thought, Lincoln has the resources, it has the students, the facilities. It would just be a great idea,” says Hill, who left the sheriff’s department to lead Lincoln’s police force in 2016.
Craig Melvin’s report was interrupted on the East Coast due to continuing coverage of the devastating condo collapse in Miami. Here’s his report in its entirety for TODAY’s special series Future of the Force.
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