Community Programs

The following programs are offered to community, church, and other civic organizations free of charge

Personal Safety Program - Personal Safety promotes safety and awareness in areas such as the home, vehicle, retail stores, and on the street. This program can be customized for any group.

Community Watch Program - This program provides training to organize mobile patrols. These "patrols" are strictly designed to act as "eyes and ears" for the New Castle County Police. Training and certification is completed through two one - hour. sessions.

Block Watch Program - This program is presented to any civic association or residential group, and follows the same format as the community watch program. In stead of mobile patrols, a telephone network will be set up to create a flow of information between the community and the police.

Child Watch Program - This program is presented to children of all ages and their parents. The purpose of this program is to establish "safe houses" within the community. Instruction is provided on "what to do" in difficult situations which may wise while walking home from school or playing outside.

Heroin Alert Program-  A drug prevention program that illustrates the consequences of drug abuse in our communities.  The program is continually updated due to the increase of heroin sales and use in the state of Delaware.  Heroin Alert is appropriate for ages 12 and up.

Realtor Watch Program - This is a dual-purpose program. It provides personal safety information that is unique to the realtor, as well as proper reporting procedures when the realtor observes criminal or suspicious behavior.

Ident-a-Kid - This program is provided to children from infancy to fifteen years of age. It is designed to help identify a child who may be separated from his/her family, either accidentally or intentionally. A kit is supplied to the parent which has the personal data of the child, a photograph, and a full set of fingerprints and DNA samples. The kit should be kept in a safe place by the child's parent or legal guardian.

Officer Friendly - This program is presented to children of all ages, usually by a uniformed officer with a marked police vehicle. Topics such as, how to identify a police officer, the duties of a police officer, and a safety talk are covered. McGruff the Crime Dog often accompanies an officer friendly at community events. This program is designed to present a uniformed police officer in a setting that is not intimidating for the child. If a child ever needs the assistance of the police, he/she should not be afraid to ask.

Home and Business Security Surveys - These surveys are designed to point out security risks or hazards. A physical survey of the site will be conducted. Recommendations will then be offered on ways to eliminate these problem areas.

Home Security Program - Many homes are burglarized based on accessibility. This program introduces techniques and devices to better improve the security of your home.

Business Security Program - This program highlights safe business practices tailored to any type of business.

Child Safety/Stranger Danger - This program is primarily presented to children four to ten years old by uniformed officer. The children are informed on how to identify and avoid dangerous situations and "good touch, bad touch".

Bicycle Safety - This program is presented to children of all ages, and involves bicycle safety tips with a review of the laws governing bicycle riding and the bicycle helmet.

Bicycle Rodeo Program - This program is presented to children of all ages, and involves the use of obstacle courses to enhance the rider's skills.

Youth and the Law - This program is a discussion for junior and senior high school students covering local ordinances, state statutes, and punishment categories relating to juveniles.

Rape and Assault Prevention Program - This program is particularly popular with women's groups. It was researched and designed to enhance awareness to minimize risk and victimization situations.

Drug and Alcohol Awareness - This program is modified for any age level. The program uses a display of various drug look alike and drug paraphernalia to familiarize the audience with their appearance and method of gestation.

D.U.I. Prevention Program - This program is consists of D.U.I. laws, their penalties and arrest procedures.

Driving Safety Program - This program is presented to adults to teach them defensive driving techniques to avoid accidents, to avoid scenarios involving "road rage," and how to safely operate a vehicle in inclement weather.

Vehicle Stop Program - This program is offered to enhance pubic perception and provide an insight of police procedures when an officer conducts a vehicle stop. Topics outlined include:

• The possible reasons for a stop
• Ways to keep the lines of communication open
• Tactical and safety precautionary measures the officer may take and how to identify a genuine law enforcement officer versus an impersonator.

Carjacking Prevention Program - This program emphasizes safety preparations prior to getting behind the wheel. It helps to recognize suspicious activity while driving, and offers a safe response to any potential threat of carjacking.

Holiday Safety Program - This program introduces methods to protect persons and property during the holiday seasons such as, safe-shopping techniques.

Gun Safety Program - This program, coordinated through the Human Resource Unit Range Instructors, is presented to teenagers and adults teaching safe handling and proper storage of guns.

Vacation Safety Program - This program is presented offering different procedures to follow while on vacation. It includes personal safety tips, while you are home or staying at a resort.

Halloween Safety Program - This program prepares children and their parents who will be Trick-or Treating for possible misadventures. Safety measures include those topics unique to Halloween such as:

Youth Police Academy - This program is offered to juveniles ages 15 through 17. It consists of nine weekly meetings which last 2 hours. The academy abbreviates and mirrors the ridged academy police recruits attend. Sessions highlight a variety of police topics such as Domestic Violence, Conflict Resolution, Vehicle Stops, Youth and the Law, and Evidence Detection.

Explorer Post 905 - This program is available to juveniles and young adults between the ages of 14 and 21 years of age. The Explorer Post is a division of the Boy Scouts of America and is overseen by the New Castle County Police Community Services Unit. The post meets twice a month to discuss various criminal justice issues. The members volunteer their time at community events to gain credits toward a ride along with patrol officers and law enforcement related field trips.

Community Meetings/Events - Officers attend meetings for civic associations, block/community watch groups, community. groups, and attend a variety of community events. They address the concerns of the residents, discuss current crime trends and offer suggestions for resolving their problems and implementing a solution.

Citizen Advisory Councils - New Castle County has been divided up into four geographical districts (North, Central, West, and South), each of which has an Advisory Council. The Councils meet monthly and are open to the public. Each works with the officers assigned to their area on community policing projects and quality of life issues. Members typically include community members, civic association leaders, and community/block watch participants.