Initially, when we presented the possibility of writing this article, we only thought of a couple of activities being carried out by the police in our city with children or adolescents. However, when arriving at the station, the surprise was a big one, because besides greeting us warmly and making us feel totally welcomed, Officer Luis Martínez and Media Specialist and Emergency Management, Natalie French, gave us the good news that there are many more programs, plans and strategies that the heroes in blue launch to become a helping hand to our children.
Besides being the city’s authority, the Doral Police undertook the task of bonding with the children and adolescents in our town, by leaps and bounds, not only to show them the heavy-hand approach when necessary, but also a friendly pat on the back to those with risk situations, those who do not run any kind of danger but want to know more about the work of the uniformed personnel, and even to those who do not know how to react to certain situations, which in the end the outcome is a true ally to parents, teachers and guardians.
Therefore, it is important to note that all these programs are totally free, they do not represent expenses or costs to parents or children, and are carried out thanks to the support and collaboration of Doral Mayor Juan Carlos Bermúdez and the Council, to whom we give our most sincere thanks.
Here are some of the programs that the Doral Police is currently working on to work hand in hand for our children.
Police Explorer Program
The Doral Police Explorers program is aimed at all young people whose ages range from 14 to 18 years old, and who are interested in knowing a little more about the work carried out by our blue uniformed personnel, giving them the opportunity to work in conjunction with officers and employees of the Police Department and its community, which also opens the door for them to pursue a career in law enforcement in the not too distant future.
This program is strictly the will of participants and is carefully structured to offer the “explorers” boys and girls the academic and technical training necessary to become future officers of the law, providing them with the necessary leadership skills and self-discipline to become successful community leaders.
D.A.R.E.
Drug Abuse Resistance Education (D.A.R.E.) , is perhaps the most popular program of all, for although each has its own importance and in it is in accordance to the concerns, needs and interests of different groups in the community , “Education to prevent drug abuse” is an issue that worries and attracts the attention of a very high percentage of our population.
It is a wide-ranging program aimed at 5th grade children, whose main objective is to provide lessons for children to learn to say “no” to drugs, alcohol or tobacco, thus teaching them to defend themselves against dangerous situations, to manage social pressure and to avoid all kinds of substances that may harm their physical or mental well-being.
Bike Safety
As we all know, Doral has many cycle paths throughout the city, which translates into spaces suitable for cyclists to ride in the best of settings. Taking this as a starting point, our Police implemented a program called “bicycle safety”, with the objective in mind to educate children, adolescents and even adults about the traffic laws they must follow, the safety measures to be taken when riding a bike, where they can do it, mandatory use of the helmet and how to avoid accidents.
This program, is carried out together with the University of Miami with the participation and presence of the Police in different events and parks, which recreate the probable situations that youngsters could face when riding a bicycle, either on public roads or in closed areas.
PP4K
The complete name of this program is “Parks and Police 4 kids”. It is a strategy that works together with D.A.R.E. to provide a helping hand, a supportive shoulder, a word of encouragement or a wise advice, to those Middle School students who are in risky situations, either because of low grades, inappropriate behaviors, wrong paths or family inconveniences.
After school hours, the officers visit the school and are responsible for accompanying and helping the children to do their homework, then invite them to play or practice the sports of their choice, our heroes in blue take this moment to talk with the boys about their problems and possible solutions, without giving orders or scolding them, implementing positive relationships, influencing them in the best possible way, creating confidence and making them see that they have the Doral Police when it comes to dealing with sensitive scenarios.
Keeping our Children Safe
This interesting program, “Keep our children safe”, although mainly aimed at parents, was designed with children’s safety in mind, so it is practiced before and during school time. It consists of educating parents and guardians about the different safety measures they should take when leaving or picking up their children at school, showing them the areas in which parking is allowed, the proper and mandatory use of the seat belt. The speed limit required in school zones and the fines that could be faced if they commit any infraction.
Sexting
Although many people do not believe it, this issue that unfortunately has become very common in our adolescents, is considered a felony, so the Doral Police decided to take action on this matter by giving talks and expositions in different schools, with the purpose of making Middle and High School students understand that each time they send an inappropriate photo, video, erotic, sexual content or intimate parts, they are committing a crime punishable by law, which could even lead to a possible arrest.
Drinking and Driving
This program, which is aimed at both the teenagers and their parents emphasizes more than anything in the longed for Prom, because unfortunately the statistics confirm that it is at that time when more accidents are caused by young people who drive under the influence of alcohol, consequently the Doral Police Department, through this important initiative, recommends that parents provide their children with a safe means of transportation for that night, such as money to take a taxi, access to the application Of Uber or Lyft, or even the possibility of picking them up once the celebration is over, thus preventing them from driving under the influence of alcohol.
(HIGHLIGHTS)
“Police Explorers provide a valuable service to the community by helping with traffic-related tasks, the children’s fingerprint and the facts of Color Guard”
“The Bike Safety Program not only teaches cyclists to drive safely, but also helps them make small adjustments to their bikes and adjust their helmets”
“D.A.R.E does not exhibit the drug to the children, but emphasizes its negative effects and the different ways of rejecting it, starting from information already given by parents and teachers”
“With Keep our children safe, the Doral Police advises parents to avoid injuries, fines, violations and accidents when leaving or picking up their children in schools”
“Internet Safety is a program primarily aimed at parents, where they are taught about the regulations, precautions and safety measures they should take regarding the computer and the Internet.”
Contact Malicia at the Doral Times at malicia@doraltimes.com
