Since its inception in 2012, the Teen and Police Service Academy, also known as TAPS, has welcomed more than 700 students from 25 schools into the program. Alondra Ortiz, the Program Manager for TAPS says, "Not every officer can be a TAPS officer. The right officer, with the right group of kids, in the right setting, is crucial." He graduated from the TAPS summer program at the University of Houston. This goes to show, the TAPS Academy is more than just an educational program; it’s a community builder.