TaMoni Winston

 



Investigative Intern, DC’s Office of Police Complaints

Major: Criminology and Criminal Justice & Sociology

Class Year: 2022

 

 

 

 

What was a typical week like in your internship position?

A typical week during the internship included reviewing cases and complaint forms in order to get background information on each case. Following this, if applicable, we spent time reviewing body-worn camera footage to get the facts of the case prior to interviews. Next we interviewed the complainant to get clarity on the actual complaints and their side. Following this, if needed, we interviewed the involved officer(s). After each task, we took the time to write reports and summaries as well.

 

 

What do you enjoy most about your current position?

The investigative work was the most fun for me. I really enjoyed reviewing the body-worn camera footage as well as getting to sit in on interviews. Reviewing BWC footage can be a bit draining but I found the tediousness of it to be the most interesting.

 

 

How has your coursework helped you in your internship?

My police and community relations course helped me get a general understanding of the public opinion of police officers, which was reflected in all of the cases that I saw. I learned in the course that minority communities often have less trust in the police and are more likely to be subjected to police misconduct. This was something that was shown in some cases.

 

 

How did you locate your internship position?

I found this internship on the CCJS blog.

 

 

Advice for students:

If students attend this internship during the fall or spring, I highly recommend taking public transportation, as parking is not free. For students who do not feel comfortable with taking public transportation like me, I would try to get reimbursed by the school for parking. I did not know this was an option during my internship, but saw that it was for other schools.

 

 

Anything else you want to share with students about your experience?

It was an amazing experience. Everyone was extremely welcoming!