The Naperville Police Department has a long history of building positive relationships with our school-age population, their parents, teachers, and the community. Members of our department play a significant role not only in the safety of students, but also in their education.
The police department’s Traffic Unit works closely with the City’s Transportation, Engineering and Development department to ensure that students have safe routes to school, while our School Resource Officers (SROs) are responsible for working with school administrators and faculty on developing comprehensive safety plans to ensure schools are safe places for students to learn. Additionally, SROs work to establish positive working relationships between police personnel, school administrators, service agencies, parents and students; to prevent and intervene with youth concerns; and to deter youth from involvement in criminal acts, substance use, theft and violence.
NPD Community Education Specialists work closely with our elementary schools to help students learn how to be safe when home alone, on the internet, or out in the community. In addition to classroom instruction, they also attend school health fairs, conduct forensic science mini courses and engage students during hands-on displays at school sponsored STEM and STEAM nights. At the high school level, they support Driver’s Ed students, assisting them with understanding safe driving practices, especially the dangers of distracted driving.
However students choose to learn this year, the Community Education Specialists are eager to adapt and find creative ways to bring these important programs to students.
Many residents are familiar with the Naperville Police Department’s Crime Prevention Calendar. The calendar is a school/police/community partnership that has been in existence for 34 years! Be on the look-out for this year’s edition being released the first week of school.
No matter what this school environment looks like this upcoming year, we are here for everyone and committed to this partnership.
For more information on school/police related programs and curriculum, visit www.naperville.il.us/asafernaper.
