[MZ Police Officer] "The Potential of Youth Is Limitless"... The School Police Officer Protecting the Field

<43> Choo Hyobin, Corporal, Women and Youth Division, Nowon Police Station, Seoul
Focusing on Crime Prevention as a School Police Officer
From Upgrading Outdated Facilities to Experiential Education

Editor's NoteThe era of Generation Z is here. New employees in their 20s and 30s are now shaping the future of organizational culture. The police are no exception. The police force consists of various departments, including criminal investigation, intelligence, security, traffic, administration, public relations, audit, and women and youth affairs. Working environments differ by city and provincial headquarters, police stations, mobile units, and substations, and the roles vary widely by region. Here, we introduce each department from the perspective of the youngest officers and listen to their vivid stories about work and life as they see it.

"This year, I devoted most of my time to field work. My seniors even said I was exceptionally passionate about the Youth Police School. Measuring the facilities and calculating the budget every day naturally expanded the scope of my work."

Seoul Nowon Police Station School Police Officer (SPO) Choohyobin, Corporal (30), is interviewed by The Asia Business Daily on the 10th. Photo by Choi Youngchan

On the afternoon of December 10, at the Youth Police School in Gongneung-dong, Nowon-gu, Seoul, Police Corporal Choohyobin, 30, smiled throughout as he shared stories with the youth. Although the workload was intense, the brief words of thanks from the students after completing the program made him forget his fatigue.

With five years of experience, Corporal Choo is currently serving as a School Police Officer (SPO) in the Women and Youth Division at Seoul Nowon Police Station. His primary responsibility is to conduct crime and school violence prevention activities for students in Nowon-gu. This year, he was in charge of the overall operation of the Nowon Youth Police School.

The top priority was improving outdated facilities. The building was old, and there were frequent risks of electrical leakage and flooding. Even with a limited budget, he worked directly on-site to enhance the educational environment. He said, "We could have outsourced everything to external companies, but I believed it was best for the person most familiar with the site to handle it. I measured the interior myself and visited small businesses one by one to coordinate the budget and facilities."

In fact, the Youth Police School was so well-organized that it was hard to believe the building dated back to 1987. Various educational facilities were established, including a virtual reality (VR) experience room and simulated practice spaces.

Before and after views of the facility improvements at Nowon Youth Police School. Nowon Police Station, Seoul

Corporal Choo not only improved the facilities but also revamped the educational content. Taking advantage of the school’s location near Hwarangdae Intersection, he installed an electronic display and launched a contest called "A Shining Word on the Road," where students could submit crime prevention messages to be shown on the sign. He also created "Cheonggyeong Talk," an online counseling platform using QR codes for non-face-to-face communication. In addition, he developed customized educational programs in collaboration with "Dream Dream," a support center for out-of-school youth.

Corporal Choo said, "I can see firsthand that more students are struggling to adapt at school and are dropping out of the educational process. I feel the greatest sense of fulfillment when these students say they dream of becoming police officers or realize that they, too, can succeed through education."

However, not every situation goes ideally. There were many cases where students would go out to smoke immediately after class or ignore guidance by using dangerous means of transportation, making it difficult to maintain order. In such cases, he and his colleagues would revisit the site to provide ongoing guidance. They only left after ensuring the students returned home safely.

He also shared an experience with a student, referred to as "A," who had repeatedly received guidance for problematic behavior both inside and outside of school. Their first encounter was during a reported incident at the school. Even during the initial call, A was agitated and difficult to control. Later, A was enrolled in the Youth Police School program due to continued behavioral issues. Although the responsible agency warned that A would likely be difficult to guide, Corporal Choo did not give up. Over four sessions, he observed a gradual change in A's attitude.

Corporal Choo said, "When I calmly asked for the reason, the student opened up for the first time. He confessed that he reacted harshly because he didn't know how to control his emotions when confronted by multiple adults." He added, "Even if it doesn't lead to a complete transformation, I hope the experience gives them a moment to reflect on themselves." So far, there have been no further reports of issues involving A.

Seoul Nowon Police Station School Police Officer (SPO) Choohyobin, Police Sergeant (30), is interviewed by The Asia Business Daily on the 10th. Photo by Choi Youngchan

What he enjoys most about this work is the potential he sees in young people. He said, "Adults rarely change, but young people at this age can take dramatically different paths depending on their environment and the people they meet. Being part of that process of change is the main reason I chose this job."

Although he chose a different path from his college major, Corporal Choo dreams of taking on broader roles in the future. He is currently focused on his duties as an SPO, but his goal is to gain expertise by experiencing investigative work and other roles within the Women and Youth Division. He said, "I feel the greatest sense of fulfillment when protecting the socially vulnerable. Through that process, I want to become a police officer who provides real help to those in need."

Corporal Choo stated, "I believe that just knowing there is someone who sincerely reaches out to you can give you the strength to endure life. I want to continue playing that role in the field."