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Criminal justice program gives Duval student jumpstart on college education

Dozens of local high school students are getting a jump start on their college education with help from a criminal justice program.

The partnership between Duval Public Schools and Edward Waters College allows students at Ribault and Raines high schools to take college criminal justice courses.

They could take the program a step further and work in system.

EWC president and former sheriff Nat Glover said he thinks a college education is the foundation of effective law enforcement.

“When they are making split second decisions and life and death hang in the balance, you want them to be as equipped as possible,” Glover said.

Duval County superintendent Dr. Nikolai Vitti said the program could help improve relationships between young African Americans and law enforcement.

"We wanted to create a signature type program that allows our students primarily in African American community at Raines and Ribault to better understand the criminal justice system," Vitti said.

Fifty students are currently enrolled in the program.