In the Field: Interning with the Raleigh Police Department Through ACORNS
This post was written by Shelby Feirstein, a junior studying anthropology with minors in forensics, genetics and French and a Department of Sociology and Anthropology student ambassador.
I aspire to obtain a career in forensic anthropology and have worked during my undergraduate career to find supplementary experiences to help me gain professional skills. While it has not always been an easy ride and has required a load of networking, I have the opportunity to intern for the Raleigh Police Department in the research and planning unit this fall. This unit works directly under the chief’s office with the responsibility to provide planning and research for development and implementation of unique operations in the Raleigh area. Through research and trend-analysis, the department is able to provide in-depth reports to the Chief of Police and other heads of departments and implement policy changes.
Under the mentorship of Sergeant Jason Boreno and Paige Moore, I am currently assigned to an initiative known as: Addressing Crises through Outreach, Referrals, Networking and Service (ACORNS). This initiative is derived from the metaphor of the sturdy oak and its ability to nourish ecological systems while sustaining itself to deal with the challenges in its environment. ACORNS is armed with a mission “to connect individuals in crisis and provide them with the resources needed to meet their individual goals.” This mission is conducted through outreach, education, case management, on-call field services, investigation and intervention. The team is made up of one supervising sergeant, one detective, three social workers, and three officers — with the model of “care and safety first, enforcement last.”
In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, the pressures of sheltering and offering services to the homeless population of Raleigh have only intensified — thus making the implementation of this initiative that much more critical. I am thrilled to be working this project as I have a history of researching the issues of chronic homelessness and advocating for the homeless population in the area through service. This is a fantastic semester to be working with ACORNS as I am also acting as the service vice president for NC State’s chapter of Alpha Phi Omega. I have oriented much of our service toward food security and health resource obtainment in the Triangle. Through passion and hard work, I know that I have much to gain from this experience, and I look forward to all that I will learn in the coming weeks.
