Verona High
School students
enroll for a lesson
from the law
Students at Verona High School are studying law theory
and application through a Law and Criminal Justice in America course offered to juniors and seniors. The school offers two
classes every other year for this distinct opportunity to learn
about policing and the court system in an engaging way.
Chris Tamburro began to teach this class two years ago when
he invited Detective Joel Martin of Verona Local 72 into the classroom. Tamburro and Martin have, since then, put forth a team
effort to create an authentic learning experience to pique young
interest in the trade of law enforcement. The class consists of
lessons on criminal justice theory with a focus on constitutional
law and its application. Martin draws from his own expertise to
teach content-driven lessons with a focus on search and seizure.
He also organizes for many guest speakers who present to the
class, including Verona Police Captain Steve DePoe and Essex
County Prosecutor’s Office Detective Mike Mossa.
This course has created a partnership between the Verona Police Administration and Verona High School to create valuable
lessons for students. Tamburro and Martin are now the official
co-teachers of the course, and have redesigned the curriculum
over the past two years to deliver relevant material and real-life
testimony from those working in the field.
“It has been an incredible experience so far for both the students and the instructors,” stated Tamburro. “We hope that it will
help to promote an interest in the legal, policing and forensics
fields, a respect for the work of the members of the criminal justice system and positive relationships between teens and police.”
Both classes offered this year in Law and Criminal Justice in
America are filled to capacity with 30 students in each. Current
students get to apply what they learn in the classroom on field
visits with Martin, while rising juniors and seniors look forward
to enrolling in the course in the years to come. d
www.njcopsmagazine.com
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