From June 17 through 28, Urbana police conducted two week-long Safety Town classes for area youngsters, who will be entering kindergarten next fall. From 8-11:30 a.m. each day, the 28 participants received safety instructions from Urbana Police Sgt. Jason Kizer and School Resource Officer AJ Ervin on various safety related topics.
The Urbana police division’s Safety Town program is a miniature town located inside Melvin Miller Park, which first began in 2012. It was the Eagle Scout project of Sam Molton. Buildings located throughout the “town” are painted with logos naming the companies or organizations whom have donated funds to the program. This was our seventh year that Urbana officers have had the opportunity each summer to present safety presentations on topics these youngsters may encounter in their lives. Several local agencies partner with us each year to provide daily presentations and activities covering safety. Those topics include:
· Fire Safety
· Good Drugs/Bad Drugs
· Gun Safety
· Pedestrian Safety
· Playground Safety
· School Bus Safety
· Seat Belt Safety
· Storm Safety
· Stranger Danger
· Swimming Pool Safety
This year we were assisted in our program by the Champaign County Jobs and Family Services, the Champaign County 911 Communications Center, the Urbana Fire Division, an Urbana City School’s bus transportation representative, the Urbana City Pool’s lifeguards, and, the Victims/Witness advocate of the Champaign County Municipal Court’s Prosecutor’s office, each of whom came and spent the day with the children and officers offering insight to their jobs and responsibilities.
Each week’s classes ended with a graduation ceremony with certificates, goodie bags, and cupcakes and refreshments being served to the participants and their guests. We are already looking forward to next year’s classes.
