Above / Keeping Kids Safe Online is a team effort between Exchange Club of Naperville and the Naperville Police Department to empower students to protect themselves from online bullying and crime.
NAPERVILLE, Ill. — The Naperville Police Department’s critical message to students about being safe online is poised to reach youth across the United States thanks to a partnership between the police department and the Exchange Club of Naperville, IL.
An hour-long, professionally-produced presentation of the Keeping Kids Safe Online internet safety program is expected to make its debut on The National Exchange Club’s website – www.nationalexchangeclub.org – this fall. In the video, Naperville Police Detective Rich Wistocki speaks directly to our nation’s youth on issues such as cyber-bullying, sexting and sextortion to educate them on how to avoid victimization on their electronic devices and social networks.
“The video will empower them to not become victims of online crime, but it will also teach them how to gather evidence so the police can help them if they do find themselves being victimized online,” said Detective Wistocki.
The Keeping Kids Safe Online project began as a partnership between the Naperville Police Department and the Exchange Club of Naperville 15 years ago through the coordination of club member Sherry Weinstein. What started out as in-person presentations to educate parents on how to keep their kids safe online has evolved in recent years to include webinars for both students and parents and information regarding the latest trends, applications and technology impacting our children today.
Keeping Kids Safe Online becomes ‘National Project’ for Exchange Club
In 2016, the Keeping Kids Safe Online project was adopted as a project of the Exchange Club of Naperville, falling under the national organization’s National Project, the prevention of child abuse. The student-focused video, recorded and produced by NCTV17, a not-for-profit community television station in Naperville, has been made available to every local-level Exchange Club chartered under the national organization, which includes more than 650 throughout the United States and Puerto Rico.
The clubs are encouraged to share the information with their communities. A similar video focusing on teaching parents what they should be doing on their kids’ devices and social accounts to protect them from bullying, predators and other dangers was released on The National Exchange Club’s website in the spring.
“Detective Wistocki is one of the nation’s foremost authorities on internet crime prevention,” said Scot Warren, a member of the Exchange Club of Naperville and National President-Elect of The National Exchange Club. “The prevention of child abuse is Exchange’s National Project, and we are very proud that Detective Wistocki shares that commitment with our members.”
Naperville Police Chief Robert Marshall added, “How to be safe online is a critical message that needs to reach as many young people as possible, and we are extremely grateful to the Exchange Club of Naperville, The National Exchange Club and NCTV17 for helping us spread that message throughout the country.”
Both the parent and student Keeping Kids Safe Online videos are also posted on the Naperville Police Department’s website, www.naperville.il.us/internetsafety.
Story submitted by Commander Louis Cammiso, Office of Professional Standards, Public Information Officer, for the Naperville Police Department.
