Young ‘Recruits’ Graduate from ‘Junior Police Academy’! – Boston Police program inspires young people to good citizenship through an appreciation of the role of law enforcement in our community
This summer’s ‘Junior Police Academy’ was a huge success! Officers introduced young recruits to a number of exciting field trips and educational opportunities to learn more about law enforcement. The ‘recruits’ visited the Academy where they received boxing lessons and participated in various relay races. Recruits also met with the Bomb Squad and received a special exhibition of the Squad’s latest technology.
The youth who participated in District D-4’s academy hail from the Blackstone Center on Shawmut Ave. Officers treated the recruits to a trip to Patriot Place at Gillette Stadium. The young recruits were reported to have loved the Patriots’ Hall of Fame which included interactive exhibits! At Patriot Place the kids received a discussion on the importance of teamwork and working towards a common goal despite differences in backgrounds, cultures, etc. The kids also all got the opportunity to try on an authentic Superbowl ring!
The Boston Police Junior Police Academy program is a highly successful education program, which continues to expand in popularity every year. This program introduces youth to law enforcement career options giving students a chance to explore the career opportunities in a “hands-on” environment.
The Winthrop Elementary School, Boston Police Department and America SCORES Boston partner to create summer programming for local students (Check out pics below!)
A few months ago, Carolyn MacNeil and Sophia Rice crossed paths at a local coffee shop and soon began talking about what they had in common – the Upham’s Corner neighborhood. As the Director of Neighborhood Crime Watch for this neighborhood in Dorchester, Carolyn MacNeil understood the challenges the community faced, while Sophia Rice, Manager of Extended Learning Services at the Winthrop Elementary School, realized that parents needed a safe place for their kids. Determined to make a difference, MacNeil and Rice approached America SCORES Boston to make it happen.
A recent survey conducted by Boston College’s Lynch School of Education revealed that an overwhelming majority of parents in Upham’s Corner wanted their children enrolled in a summer program where students could have fun, gain skills, and be active and healthy. As the Winthrop School is located in an area of the city that has experienced some recent episodes of violence, it was also imperative to create a safe space where parents felt comfortable having their kids stay throughout the day.
Using these criteria as a starting point, MacNeil and Rice gained key support from Winthrop principal Laurie Carr’s predecessor, Boston Police Department (BPD) Captain John Davin and Boston Centers for Youth and Families (BCYF) Recreation Director Ryan Fitzgerald – to help build a summer program. Through these connections, America SCORES Boston was able to secure financial support from the City through Boston R.O.C.K.S and BCYF, the BPD through the Boston Police Foundation and the Boston Police Runners Club, and from Nuestra Comunidad – a community development organization. With this outpouring of community support, the summer program finally began to take shape.
Originally, Rice had approached America SCORES Boston to become an after-school program at the Winthrop; however, with the summer quickly approaching, it seemed like a great opportunity to partner with an established organization to create a productive summer experience. America SCORES Boston’s main program occurs during the academic year with over 800 elementary and middle school students participating in after-school soccer, poetry, and service-learning curricula. Using this same holistic youth development approach, America SCORES Boston designed a Summer SCORES program that incorporates art, athletics, and team-building activities. Students participate in arts and crafts; play sports such as soccer, basketball, and tennis; write poetry; watch movies; and participate in health mini-lessons.
The Summer SCORES program welcomes students from 1st to 6th grade. “It became clear that there was a need for safe summer programming for all youth in the neighborhood” said Rice. Openings are still available in this free summer program and youth from across the city are welcome to attend. The program operates on a drop-in basis and runs from 9am-3pm on weekdays at the Winthrop Elementary School.
While the program is organized by America SCORES Boston, collaboration with a number of community partners has created an enriching summer experience. Tenacity, a tennis-based youth development organization, comes to the program once a week to engage students in tennis drills and team-building exercises. The City of Boston provides free breakfast and lunch to program participants and coordinated a ferry ride to the Boston Harbor Islands. Also, the Boston Breakers, the professional women’s soccer team in Boston, will visit the school to spend time with the kids, run soccer drills, and teach them the importance of teamwork and communication.
In addition to these partners, the BPD made an enormous effort to support the program throughout the development stages and continues to help with daily program activities. Officers consistently drop by the program to direct interactive soccer drills with the participants. Dwayne Simmons, Program Director at America SCORES, commented, “Not only has the BPD’s support been instrumental in making this program happen, it’s also valuable that these students interact with police officers and begin to perceive them as allies within the neighborhood.”
In many ways, the Summer SCORES program will have a positive effect on the entire neighborhood. “We think it’s important to get kids from all across the neighborhood to socialize and develop lasting relationships with each other” said Rice. “If students develop positive relationships with other students, those connections endure and begin to alleviate the tensions within the neighborhood for the future.” As Rice and MacNeil demonstrated by their run in at a coffee shop – an event which sparked a summer program – a connected community and positive social interactions often lead to something significant.
Openings are still available in this free summer program and 1st-6th grade students from across the city are welcome to attend. The program operates on a drop-in basis and runs from 9am-3pm on weekdays at the Winthrop Elementary School (35 Brookford Street in Dorchester). For more information about the Summer SCORES program, please call Dwayne Simmons at (857) 939-3912 or e-mail at [email protected]
About America SCORES Boston
America SCORES Boston, the flagship program of America SCORES New England, is an after-school program that utilizes soccer, poetry, and service-learning to inspire Boston youth to lead healthy lives, be engaged students, and have the confidence and character to make a difference in the world. An affiliate of the national America SCORES program currently in 13 major American cities, America SCORES New England prepares the next generation of students for success throughout their lives, and helps youth realize their full potential as active citizens and leaders of their community. For more information, visit our website at www.AmericaSCORESBoston.org.
Media Contact
Dwayne Simmons
Program Director – America SCORES Boston
P. 617.939.3912 | F. 617.553.4701
Save the Date! Join Us for the 28th Annual National Night Out Celebration!
This year marks the 28th consecutive year that the Boston Police Department, in conjunction with the City of Boston, Target and residents from all over the city, will celebrate National Night Out. National Night Out is an annual event, which takes place on the first Tuesday in August, that seeks to celebrate and promote the police and community partnerships that are so vital to keeping our city safe.
This year’s event will take place on Tuesday, August 2nd from 5pm to 8pm at the beautiful University of Massachusetts Boston Harbor Campus on the lawn of the student center. Activities will include music, food, athletic games, moon bounces and more! The event is accessible by car or public transportation. Shuttle buses will run from the JFK stop on the red line.
Please join us for this spectacular night of fun!
Neighborhood Watch Unit Along With District B-3 Recently Canvass Neighborhoods in Mattapan to Encourage Participation in a Neighborhood Watch Program
This past week the Neighborhood Watch Unit (NWU) has been assisting officers from the B-3 CSO office in talking to residents in neighborhoods of Mattapan after several recent incidents involving firearm violence. Neighborhood Watch staff and community service officers have been walking the community and talking to residents about neighborhood concerns, answering questions and raising awareness about the Neighborhood Watch program. NWU continues to collect contact information from residents in an effort to encourage participation and to create ongoing dialogue about safety. Residents interested in starting or joining a Neighborhood Watch group please call 617-343-4345.
A Message from the Neighborhood Watch Unit: Planning a Block Party this Summer? Contact your Local Community Service Officer or the Neighborhood Watch Unit for Assistance!
It’s about that time and Neighborhood Watch groups across the city are beginning to make their plans for their annual, summer block parties! The Neighborhood Watch Unit believes the block parties and similar social events are a great way for residents and neighbors to connect and build community. These neighborhood events provide a way in which people can meet each other and begin to have a dialogue about where they live and what they want for their street. Block parties usually tend to draw even the most reticent person because they’re fun! Some of the events that have taken place in the past are ice cream socials, yard sales and tag sales, barbeques and the traditional pot luck block party where people congregate and socialize right on their street. If you would like to plan a block party call your local CSO office or the Neighborhood Watch Unit at 617-343-4345 for assistance.
NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH BRINGING PEOPLE TOGETHER IN CHARLESTOWN
Check out today’s article in the Charlestown Patch about the Boston Police Department’s Neighborhood Crime Watch efforts in Charlestown. To read the entire article click on the link enclosed below.
During the meeting, Boston Police Captain Bernard O’Rourke said, “Charlestown has one of the best, highest, and quickest responses from the police in the city of Boston.”
http://charlestown.patch.com/articles/residents-police-applaud-results-of-neighborhood-watch
Neighborhood Watch Resource Directory
Police Resources:
City of Boston Police Website: www.cityofboston.gov/police/default.asp
The Boston Police Alert Network: www.CitizenObserver.com
City Resources:
Office of Neighborhood Services, 617-635-3485, www.cityofboston.gov/ons/coor_list.asp
Mayor’s 24 hour Constituent Hotline: 617-635-4500, www.cityofboston.gov/mayor/24/
List of City Ordinances: http://www.amlegal.com/boston%5Fma/
County Resources:
Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office, Director of Community Relations
Nurys Camargo: 617-619-4144, [email protected]
www.mass.gov/da/suffolk/Suffolk County Sheriff’s Department
Deputy Director for External Affairs, Edward Geary Jr.: 617-961-6672, [email protected]
State Resources:
State Senators and Representatives: www.mass.gov/legis/citytown.htm
All other state resources: www.mass.gov
Other Resources:
National Park Service, Federal Park Rangers: 617-242-5659
Close to Home – Domestic Violence Prevention Initiative, 617-929-5151, www.c2home.org
National Center for Victims of Crime: http://www.ncvc.org/ncvc/Main.aspx