EAST BRIDGEWATER — Chief Scott Allen is pleased to share that the East Bridgewater Police Department hosted a radKIDS program for children ages 7-12 throughout the week of February school vacation.
A total of 10 students completed the 10-hour course at the Gordon W. Mitchell Middle School. Children who participated were required to attend the five-day session over the school vacation, Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to noon, in order to complete the program.
East Bridgewater Police Officers Cecelia Cacciatore, Joshua Dejesus and A.J. Voisine, who are all certified radKIDS (“Resist Aggression Defensively”) instructors, led the children-only class, which featured classroom discussions and self-defense techniques. The instructors focused on teaching, training and empowering children to trust their feelings, create and maintain their boundaries and recognize and respond to the unsafe and dangerous behaviors of others.
“Programs like this allow for our trained officers to teach our younger community members vital ways in which they can protect and empower themselves,” said Chief Allen. “While we hope they never need to put what they learned into practice, we feel better knowing that children in our community now have a stronger set of skills to protect and empower themselves, whether by voicing their concerns, knowing who to call in an emergency situation or defending themselves physically should one of the scenarios they learned about ever arise.”
On the last day of class, students were given the opportunity to utilize the skills they learned and participate in voluntary dynamic training simulations designed to represent realistic encounters that require avoiding confrontation, knowing who to call in the case of an emergency, escaping from a scene or defending a physical attack.
Due to generous grants from local businesses and organizations, classes were free for all attending children. As per the radKIDS organization, each child is able to re-attend the class on an unlimited basis for free.
The radKIDS program is a Personal Empowerment Safety Education Class that the East Bridgewater Police Department provided for the children of East Bridgewater, as well as the surrounding communities. The program aims to provide educational tools and resources that enhance the ability of children, parents and families to utilize knowledge, skills and power to protect themselves from violence and harm.
During the program, the East Bridgewater Police Department was assisted by Intern Dalton Griggs from Stonehill College and Whitman Police Officer Kevin Harrington. Officer Harrington assisted on the last day of classes as the ‘bad guy’ by wearing the red suit during the simulation exercises.
About radKIDS:
A nonprofit educational organization based in South Dennis, Massachusetts, radKIDS, Inc. is dedicated to providing proven and effective life saving skills for children by teaching them how to “Resist Aggression Defensively.” Curriculum topics range from Home and School Safety, to Out and About Safety, to Realistic Defense Against Abduction as well as Good, Bad and Uncomfortable Touch. For information on the program visit the radKIDS website at www.radKIDS.org.
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