The Travelers Championship is giving some of the money raised by last week's golf tournament in Connecticut to help create a program to train police in how to deal with teens and young adults, especially in Black and racially diverse communities.
The tournament and the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving announced Tuesday they are teaming to provide $300,000 over two years to the University of New Haven's Center for Advanced Policing and the Tow Youth Justice Institute.
Officials said the money will be used to launch the Connecticut Institute for Youth and Police Relations in Greater Hartford in the fall.
Officials said the institute will assist police officers in learning how to maintain public safety while also serving the best interests of youth. The program is expected to begin in the fall and will focus on police officers who have regular contact with people up to the age of 24.
“As seen throughout our nation, law enforcement must continue the important work of building trust and legitimacy with the communities we serve,” said Windsor Police Chief Donald Melanson, president of the Capitol Region Chiefs of Police Association. “Understanding the impact of trauma on youth and families and interacting with youth in conversation will go a long way toward bettering police – youth relations.”
The Travelers Championship last year gave more than $2 million to about 150 charities in Connecticut. It has not said how much money was raised at this year's PGA Tour event, where no tickets were sold because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Tournament Director Nathan Grube said many corporate sponsors decided to give their usual donations even without getting the ticket packages, receptions or hospitality tents in return.
