For young people, understanding the law can mean knowing their rights, recognizing the consequences of their decisions and learning how to respond when difficult situations arise. For parents and guardians, that knowledge can help them guide and protect their children. And for law enforcement officers, opportunities to engage with families outside potentially confrontational encounters can help build understanding and trust.
Those connections are at the heart of the 36th annual Judge Charles V. Johnson Youth and Law Forum, scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 14, at The Church by the Side of the Road in Tukwila. The free event will bring young people and their families together with judges, attorneys, law enforcement officers and other professionals for interactive workshops, real-life scenarios and conversations about the justice system.
For retired Seattle police Capt. John Hayes and retired King County sheriff’s Deputy Fae Brooks, the forum is about more than teaching young people the law. It is an opportunity for families to prepare for situations that could affect a child’s future while giving officers a chance to listen and build stronger community relationships.
“I think the biggest thing that we see is the fact that they’re around so many officers, some of them that they knew, but they see them in a more relaxed perspective, and they get to ask questions that they always wanted the opportunity to ask,” said Hayes during a recent interview with The Seattle Medium. “And you can really see the frustration or the nervousness come down further and further and further.”
Brooks said the forum also helps parents better understand the justice system and see how their children can communicate with law enforcement.
“Well, the justice system has several different layers to it,” Brooks said. “And I think with this event, parents learn that their kids can actually have conversations with police officers, and that police officers are people too and can have conversations with their children.”
She believes those conversations benefit officers as well.
“And having it in a non-confrontational setting builds the rapport, so that when they do interact, when something happens, the law officers are more aware of the impact that their words and their attitude can have on a child, and the child understands how they can have a better communication link with law enforcement officers,” she said.
The forum will address situations young people may face involving peer pressure, bullying, firearms and interactions with law enforcement. Through discussions and real-life scenarios, participants can learn how to recognize potential dangers, understand their options and consider the consequences of their decisions.
“Well, this is an event to keep kids from getting into trouble. That’s how I look at it. It’s a deterrent,” Brooks said. “It’s an informational setting where they can talk through some real-life scenarios and get information on how they could handle something should it happen.”
For parents and guardians, attending alongside their children offers an opportunity to hear the same information, ask questions and continue those conversations at home. Brooks said preparing children before they encounter difficult situations can make a meaningful difference.
As a mother of four who worked in law enforcement while raising her children, Brooks made sure her daughters knew they could always contact her if they needed help. Before cellphones became commonplace, she gave each daughter a quarter to keep in her shoe so she could make a phone call.
“If something happens, call me. I’ll come get you, no questions asked,” Brooks recalled telling them.
She encouraged her daughters to call whenever they felt uncomfortable or found themselves in unfamiliar situations. Her message was that seeking help was always an option, regardless of the circumstances.
That kind of preparation is why Brooks believes the forum is valuable even for families whose children have never experienced problems with the law.
Participants will also have opportunities to learn how the justice system works. Some youth sessions will take place in nearby courtrooms, where students can become familiar with the setting and learn about the responsibilities of judges, prosecutors, defense attorneys and police officers.
Hayes said direct access to legal professionals can help young people distinguish facts from misconceptions while exposing them to careers they may not have previously considered.
Beyond the workshops, both retired officers emphasized the value of allowing young people to interact with police in a relaxed setting.
Brooks, who said she has participated in the forum since its beginning, recalled earlier gatherings where police departments brought equipment, including robots and police dogs, for children to see. Officers also prepared food and participated in informal activities.
“We even had a barbecue down there where the officers grilled food for the kids,” Brooks recalled. “So they got to see police doing different things other than, you know, stopping people and making arrests, et cetera.”
Hayes said those moments can help break down barriers between officers and community members.
“The biggest part is laughing together, being able to laugh and see people telling jokes and having a good time and eating together,” Hayes said. “The Youth and Law Forum branches out in so many ways that I don’t even think it was a thought when it first came about.”
For Hayes, building community relationships was an important part of his career. He said he deliberately chose to live in the city where he worked so residents would see him as a neighbor rather than someone who appeared only while on duty.
“I wasn’t someone who came in for eight hours or ten hours and then all of a sudden disappeared,” Hayes said. “I shopped in the same stores and things like that, and I think that made a difference.”
Brooks took a similar approach during her career with the King County Sheriff’s Office. She said she made a point of helping young people understand that officers have families, personal experiences and responsibilities beyond their uniforms.
“In my career, I made it a point to tell the kids I was dealing with who I was outside of police work, so that they understood that I was a mother, a grandmother, and that I truly cared about them, and I took time to listen to what they had to say,” Brooks said.
That willingness to listen is an important part of the forum’s broader purpose. Hayes said conversations with community members, including those who expressed frustration with law enforcement, helped him better understand their experiences and concerns.
“So don’t think that we’re just a one-way street. We’ve learned from you,” Hayes said.
For Hayes and Brooks, that exchange illustrates why the forum continues to matter after 36 years. Young people gain knowledge that can help them make informed decisions. Parents and guardians learn ways to support and advocate for their children. And law enforcement professionals have opportunities to listen, learn and strengthen relationships with the communities they serve.
The forum offers families an opportunity to have those conversations before a difficult situation arises, when there is time to ask questions, consider different perspectives and develop a better understanding of one another.
This year’s forum, themed “Journey to Justice: Your Heritage, Your Legacy, Your Rights, and the Law,” will take place Saturday, Nov. 14, at The Church by the Side of the Road in Tukwila. The event is free, and activities are expected to conclude at 3 p.m.
Families are encouraged to register in advance so organizers can prepare sufficient food and materials. Registration and additional information are available at youthandlaw.com.
