City agency internship program brings HBCU and local students to police oversight and city offices

The Department of Police Accountability (DPA) introduced a multi-agency internship cohort during the July 16 Police Commission meeting, presenting roughly two dozen student interns placed across eight host agencies in the city.

Tanetta Rocky Moore Thompson, DPA senior trial attorney and director of recruitment and racial equity, said the 2025 cohort is the program's most diverse to date and includes students from historically Black colleges and universities and other institutions. Host agencies include the District 10 office, Public Utilities Commission, Environment Department, Police Legal, Office of Community Investment and Infrastructure and the District Attorney's office.

DPA said the interns will participate in a weekly speaker series, receive professional-development coaching and work on substantive projects. DPA staff said a subset of interns placed at DPA would assist with a project examining portions of DGO 8.1 concerning First Amendment activities; the office said interns will produce recommendations the commission can review.

Why it matters: The internship program provides professional pathways for recent graduates and law students while giving city agencies additional research and project capacity. DPA said the program is supported through partnerships with other city offices and community organizations to provide stipends and coordination.

Next steps: DPA and interns will present project findings later in the summer; commission members said they would welcome interns back to report results and recommendations in public session.