NCJ Number
211327
Journal
Police Chief Volume: 72 Issue: 9 Dated: September 2005 Pages: 88-90,92
Date Published
September 2005
Length
4 pages
Annotation
This article describes two crime prevention programs, one conducted in Boca Raton, FL, and the other conducted on the campus of the Western Kentucky University (WKU).
Abstract
The "I Prevent Crime" campaign was initiated in Boca Raton on March 3, 2005. The mayor inaugurated the campaign by signing a letter of commitment to crime prevention and then placing a blue band on his wrist with the words "I Prevent Crime." At the city's largest annual festival on March 5 and 6, 500 residents signed a letter of commitment to crime prevention and wore their blue wristbands. This was followed by a citizen crime prevention education campaign that focused on citizens' role and responsibility in preventing crime. The key component of the campaign is the signing of age-related documents that contain statements of commitment to specific crime-prevention actions appropriate for the following age groups: young children, older children, teens, and adults. Signing the document qualifies a person to wear the blue wristband. The commitment letters are forwarded to Citizens Crime Watch of Boca Raton for inclusion in the Neighborhood Watch database and e-mail network. The citizen police academy of the WKU Police Department is designed to emulate the various citizen academies conducted by many municipal police departments throughout Kentucky, except that it is designed for the university's students, faculty, and staff. The academy's intent is to teach these constituencies how to prevent crime; foster students' interest in a law enforcement career; and improve relations between students, faculty, staff members, and police officers. The academy consists of an 8-week course led by WKU police academy instructors. The WKU Police Department has also implemented a student escort service under the newly created Explorer Post, which is composed of academy graduates interested in pursuing a law enforcement career.