Brigantine Police Sgt. Jim Powderly, left, stood with fellow Brigantine Police Department officers and students from the Brigantine Public School District who participated in L.E.A.D.’s drug and violence prevention program. (Photo Courtesy L.E.A.D.)
BRIGANTINE, N.J. — Long before students in Brigantine ever encounter a police officer during an emergency, many already know them by name.
That familiarity is no accident.
For the past five years, members of the Brigantine Police Department have been teaching the L.E.A.D. (Law Enforcement Against Drugs & Violence) program at Brigantine Community School, giving students practical life skills while forging bonds that extend far beyond the classroom.
“We’re actually taking police officers and building relationships in the community,” said Sgt. Jim Powderly, who has helped lead Brigantine’s L.E.A.D. program since its inception. “That’s something that lasts. It’s something that goes beyond a single school year. It lasts a lifetime. They grow into adults and remember the officers by name and the things they talked about together.”
That lasting connection is one of the program’s greatest strengths.
Sgt. Powderly recalled responding to a particularly stressful domestic incident involving children who immediately recognized one of the responding officers from L.E.A.D. class.
“It was a calming thing to be at the scene because the kids were already comfortable with that police officer,” Sgt. Powderly said. “It’s not just a uniform or a badge — it’s a person they’ve grown to know in the classroom.”
The Brigantine Police Department implemented the L.E.A.D. program in 2021 after Sgt. Powderly completed the organization’s five-day instructor certification course. Since then, the department has expanded from two instructors to four, allowing more officers to build relationships with students throughout the community.
“My goal as a supervisor going into the future is to pull in as many officers as possible,” Sgt. Powderly said. “We want officers to be able to engage and have a platform to speak with kids and give them tools as they’re growing and going through their little social environments.”
Today, the department teaches approximately 60 to 100 students annually in third- and sixth-grade classrooms at Brigantine Community School.
The curriculum equips students with practical life skills including goal setting, healthy communication, emotional regulation, decision making, resisting peer pressure, and identifying trusted adults they can turn to when they need help.
“It taught them to set goals in life, communicate, get out of their shell and communicate in a healthy way,” Sgt. Powderly said. “We gave them real-life skills they were able to take and apply. It was broken down to an age-appropriate level.”
Sgt. Powderly said one lesson consistently stands out.
“Communication is key for kids to be able to socialize in a healthy way with one another,” Sgt. Powderly said. “If they sense something is off or they’re struggling with an emotion, they understand the difference between a peer and a trusted adult they can go to for help.”
The lessons continue well after class ends and even after the school year is over.
“When we see them out on the street, it reinforces what we’ve taught them,” Sgt. Powderly said.
The L.E.A.D. program also recently complemented Brigantine Community School’s annual Mental Health Day, where students participated in activities promoting emotional wellness and healthy decision-making. Sgt. Powderly said the event naturally aligned with L.E.A.D.’s mission.
“For five weeks we teach life skills — goal setting, managing emotions and healthy communication,” said Sgt. Powderly. “Then we talk about things that can hinder those goals, including alcohol and drugs. It fits very well with Mental Health Day because it’s encouraging kids to make healthy choices.”
The department works to make each year’s program memorable from the very beginning.
During L.E.A.D. orientation, officers bring patrol vehicles to the school, allowing students to explore the cruisers, activate emergency lights and sirens, and meet the officers who will soon be teaching them.
“That’s always a fun day to break the ice,” Sgt. Powderly said.
Even outside the classroom, the department works to keep the L.E.A.D. program visible throughout the community.
Officers distribute L.E.A.D.-branded pencils, footballs, stickers, pens and other giveaways, while annual graduation ceremonies celebrate students’ completion of the program with certificates, awards and family photos.
“We make a big deal out of it,” Sgt. Powderly said. “Every year we try to do something bigger to grow the visibility of the L.E.A.D. program.”
Sgt. Powderly said the impact extends beyond the students themselves.
“It’s not just the kids in the classroom that we’re impacting,” Sgt. Powderly said. “It’s the families. The kids go home and talk to their parents about what we’re doing.”
The program has received strong support from Brigantine Community School administrators and teachers since it was introduced.
Sgt. Powderly said school staff embraced the program from the beginning, with teachers remaining actively involved during lessons and helping reinforce the material throughout the school year.
Nick DeMauro, Executive Director and CEO of L.E.A.D., praised the Brigantine Police Department’s long-term commitment to prevention and relationship building.
“The Brigantine Police Department demonstrates exactly what L.E.A.D. is designed to accomplish,” DeMauro said. “By consistently investing time with students year after year, these officers are helping young people develop essential life skills while building trust that strengthens the entire community.”
Looking ahead, Sgt. Powderly hopes every student in Brigantine will continue to know that local police officers are not simply authority figures, but trusted adults invested in their success.
“Our Brigantine L.E.A.D. officers are there for the youth, both on the street and in the classroom. That’s what it’s all about,” Sgt. Powderly said. “We’re giving kids tools they can use throughout their lives while building relationships that will always be there. Thank you to all of our partners at the Brigantine Police Department and the Brigantine Public School District for making this all possible. “
About L.E.A.D.
L.E.A.D. (Law Enforcement Against Drugs & Violence) is a national 501(c)(3) nonprofit headquartered in Allentown, N.J., dedicated to equipping law enforcement agencies with the resources, training, and curriculum to deliver effective drug and violence prevention education in schools and communities. L.E.A.D. partners with agencies in all 50 states, supporting more than 7,000 trained instructors who reach more than one million students in 2,500 school systems annually through the Botvin LifeSkills® Training curriculum. L.E.A.D. is funded through donations and grants. For more information, visit LEADrugs.org or call 609.259.2500.
Brigantine Police Sgt. Jim Powderly, left, stood with students who completed the L.E.A.D. class offered to third graders at Brigantine Community School. (Photo Courtesy L.E.A.D.)
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