Belmont Police Launch SAFE Program for Schools

[Editor's note: The following was submitted by Lt. Pat Halleran of the Belmont Police Department.]

This week, Belmont police, in conjunction with the Belmont Safe Schools Program, began a new school safety instruction program targeting 5th grade students.  The program, Safety Awareness for Everyone (SAFE) is designed to raise the awareness of students to potential dangers within their everyday lives.

School Resource Officer Milana Jordan designed the program and will be teaching it in both public and private schools.  The program consists of six sessions, each 30-45 minutes long, taught once a week.  The topics covered over the five week program are:

• Juvenile Law
• Stranger Danger
• Peer Pressure/Bullying
• Social Media/Cyber-Bullying
• Critical Incidents
• Review of the five areas

“We have taught safety and drug awareness programs in the schools for a long time, but those programs were pre-packaged products with a general message," said Belmont Police Chief Dan DeSmidt. 

“This program is different because it was designed and by one of our School Resource Officers with curriculum written to meet the issues and needs of youth in Belmont.” 

“This program is also unique because it can be customized to meet the needs of a specific school and we are very excited about it,” Chief DeSmidt added.

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