It’s not every day that the Commander-in-Chief of a nation’s police force — responsible for more than 100,000 officers — climbs into an excavator simulator. But that’s exactly what happened when Maj. Gen. Marek Boroń, head of the Polish National Police, visited Community Partners in Action’s REGIONS youth residential treatment program in Hamden.
With cameras rolling and staff looking on, Gen. Boroń grinned as he took the controls, guided by program staff who explained how these high-tech simulators are used to train youth in heavy-equipment operation — practical skills that can lead to well-paying jobs in construction and transportation. The moment captured the heart of CPA’s mission: creating pathways to independence for young people once caught in the justice system.
The visit was part of a U.S. study tour organized through the University of New Haven’s Henry C. Lee College of Criminal Justice and Forensic Sciences, marking the 16th Polish National Police cohort to study in the United States and the first time the Commander-in-Chief himself took part.
Accompanying Gen. Boroń were State Police Chiefs from Łódź, Poznań, Kraków, and Rzeszów, along with directors from Warsaw headquarters overseeing International Police Cooperation, Command & Control, and Social Communication. Together, they represent the top tier of law enforcement leadership in Poland, visiting Connecticut to learn about alternatives to incarceration, rehabilitation programs, and juvenile justice reform.
They were joined by Michael Lawlor, Associate Dean at the University of New Haven and former Connecticut Undersecretary for Criminal Justice Policy and Planning in the Office of Policy and Management, who helped create the long-running exchange.
“For years, we’ve hosted international delegations that want to see how Connecticut transformed its juvenile justice system,” said Lawlor. “What CPA is doing here is exactly the kind of evidence-based, community-focused work that has made our state a model.”
Also helping facilitate the visit was Patryk Jaroszkiewicz, a CPA Rehabilitation Therapist and native of Poland who serves as a bridge between both systems. He not only coordinated the visit but shared his own perspective on reentry and youth rehabilitation. “It was deeply meaningful to welcome my country’s top police officials here,” he said. “They saw what real, person-centered rehabilitation looks like.”
CPA leaders Executive Director Beth Hines, Deputy Director Deb Rogala, Communications Director Adam H. Brill, Program Manager Frances French, and Assistant Program Manager Dishon Rucker greeted the delegation for a tour and discussion of how REGIONS Hamden operates as a secure, home-like residential treatment program.
“This program opened in 2020 and serves up to 16 young men, ages 14 to 18,” explained Rogala. “They are court-mandated to participate and typically remain with us for six months to a year. During that time, they receive schooling, therapy, medical and mental-health care, and vocational training — everything they need to make better choices and prepare for independence.”
Rogala described the program’s two-phase structure: youth begin in a secure environment focused on routine and behavioral accountability, then advance to a community-integrated phase where they attend public school, volunteer, and participate in job placements. “When they leave, we follow up for at least a year,” she added. “That continued relationship is key to long-term success.”
The Polish delegation was particularly interested in CPA’s outcomes. “What is your success rate?” one senior officer asked. Rogala explained that while some youth reoffend, overall recidivism is significantly lower than state averages, a testament to CPA’s holistic approach.
“We work with the highest-risk population,” she said. “They’ve often been expelled from school, have histories of trauma, and multiple system contacts. The fact that so many of them stay in school or hold a job after leaving here shows the impact of consistency and care.”
As the conversation deepened, delegates asked about collaboration with local authorities and nonprofits. “That’s essential to what we do,” Rogala said. “Our youth return to those same communities, so we have to build strong local partnerships with employers, mental-health agencies, schools, and faith groups. Rehabilitation doesn’t end at our door.”
Rucker elaborated on CPA’s vocational training, which includes safety certifications, culinary arts, woodworking, and creative technology. “We want them to see themselves as capable,” he said. “Every certificate they earn, every skill they learn, is a step toward independence.”
The group also toured the music recording studio and 3-D printing and woodworking lab, where youth learn to channel their creativity. “When they realize they can build something — a song, a sculpture, a project — you can see their confidence grow,” Rucker said.
Family support, Hines noted, is a crucial part of rehabilitation. “We work with parents and guardians throughout the process,” she said. “Sometimes our staff help families find housing, treatment, or employment. Healing the family system helps our youth sustain their progress.”
Impressed by the depth of programming and care, Colonel Katarzyna Nowak, the Polish Police Spokeswoman and Director of the Bureau of Social Communication, called REGIONS “benchmark-setting.” She and her colleagues remarked that similar facilities in Poland could benefit from adopting CPA’s integrated therapeutic and vocational model.
Maj. Gen. Boroń, a graduate of Poland’s Police Academy with decades of service in criminal investigation and intelligence, shared a personal reflection. “We know this work is very difficult and demanding,” he said. “But every young person who returns successfully to society is your success. We thank you for your hard work and engagement.”
The meeting also had lighter moments. When CPA staff invited Gen. Boroń to try the excavator simulator, laughter filled the room as he navigated the controls with determination. “This gearbox is not so good for me,” he joked through his interpreter, prompting applause from his colleagues. Later, as the group prepared to depart for a tour of Cheshire Correctional Institution, he promised, “Next time, you will visit us in Poland and we will teach you how to make pierogi.”
Hines later reflected that the encounter reaffirmed how universal the mission of rehabilitation truly is. “Whether in Connecticut or Poland, we share the same belief — that people can change when given opportunity, structure, and compassion,” she said. “This visit reminded us that the work happening here resonates far beyond our state.”
For Patryk Jaroszkiewicz, the day carried an added sense of pride. “To see the Commander-in-Chief of the Polish National Police step into our vocational lab and experience what our youth do, that was powerful,” he said. “It showed that learning, empathy, and curiosity can connect us all.”