Wayne State University Law School students are poised to make a positive impact by contributing to the relationship between the Detroit police and the community. Second year students Wade Henney and Karma Dadoush were named American Bar Association (ABA) Spring 2023 Legal Education Police Practices Consortium (LEPPC) Fellows for the Winter 2023 semester
The LEPPC aims to contribute to the national effort examining and addressing legal issues in policing and public safety, including conduct, oversight, and the evolving nature of police work. The LEPPC leverages the ABA's expertise and that of participating ABA accredited law schools to collaborate on projects to develop and implement better police practices throughout the United States.
In collaboration with the Detroit Board of Police Commissioners, Henney and Dadoush- along with third year student David Kinzer who is participating as a volunteer-the students will research and analyze key policing issues in Detroit. The fellows hope that their planned work with the Board of Police Commissioners will contribute to the safety and be beneficial for the community.
Henney was drawn to this opportunity because he thrives through making a positive impact on the Detroit community, and a beneficial way to accomplish that is through the interactions between the police and the community. "With all that has been going on with police brutality the past several years, the community's perception of the police is as important as ever," Henney said. With these projects, Henney hopes to contribute to better and more effective policing practices that will restore trust and a healthy relationship between the police and the community.
Dadoush's background helps illuminate the reasons she decided to join this program. She was born and raised in Syria and moved to the United States in 2012 during the war. Motivated to view her relocation as an opportunity to help others, Dadoush set out to learn more about justice and ways to help. This led her down the path of law and further, this fellowship. "Throughout my undergraduate and law school career, as well as my experiences working with public interest organizations, I have learned that much work needs to be done in regard to achieving a safe community where everyone is treated with equal justice and respect. Law enforcement is the first step to achieving that and ensuring that law enforcement methods are responsive to our modern world's needs is essential," she said.
Dadoush and Henney look forward to making a positive contribution through their partnership with the Board of Police Commissioners to develop these projects for utilization by the Detroit police to better understand how to serve the community.
Wayne Law Dean Richard Bierschbach is on the Dean's Advisory Committee for the ABA Legal Education Police Practices Consortium. Wayne Law students have been fellows with the Consortium since the inception of the fellows program in Winter 2022.
