Hello! We are Deputy Sheriffs as well as Correctional Officers at the Hampshire Sheriffs Office a Correctional Facility in Massachusetts. Currently we have two Officers involved in a child awareness program, Officer Evelyn Ross and Albert Humphrey. The program they instruct is called “radKIDS”.

Through this program we help educate children between the ages of 5-10 years old about the dangers of child abductions, sexual molestation and stranger danger. We provide the students with stun techniques that they can use to escape a would be abductor, and how to call 911.

We also teach “out and about safety” which helps the children understand what to do if they were to get lost iii a store or the mail. Along with all of these instructional or classroom style learning we offer scenarios, stations, and drills to help the children fully comprehend the information that they are hearing.

One example is a scenario called sight, sound, and distance drill. This particular drill allows the children to identify what is a safe distance from their parents when out at a mall, store, or fair. Our program helps to teache the children some of the “TRICKS” that are used to try and lure them away from their safe environment. We have recently received full support from the school committee, teachers, and most importantly the parents of Easthampton, Massachusetts to bring this program into the school system.

The people in our communities are becoming increasingly aware of the dangers that are poised for our children, the increased violence surrounding us; we believe that the best prevention to combat the problem is through education. With the “radKids” program we teach the children what could happen if they were in a dangerous or compromising situation, also what options are available to them, not by just telling them, and then expect them to understand, but through controlled learning scenarios that will allow them to experience a true life situation.

Like most learning experiences in life it’s not enough for children to hear something and fully understand, they need to learn through trial, error, and observation of their peers to understand the totality of the situation before they can understand it’s seriousness. Those that we have spoken with agree unanimously that it is better to find out the child’s understanding of safety awareness in our program, where education is fun and there’s the opportunity for a second chance, rather than in a real life crisis where the potential of eminent danger or possible loss of life, is a one shot deal.

Our program is currently running for the first time in the Easthampton schools (Center Street School and Pepin School), Originally targeting the Fourth grade with an expected attendance of about one hundred students. At schools end we were able to reach 95% of the Fourth grade population. This program was found to be so successful that it has become an intricate part of the schools curriculum, with the expectation of introducing the lower level grades as well. This program is also being offered through our local Y.M.C.A in Northampton as an after school program, unfortunately only for those children that participate in the Y.M.C.A after school program. Ultimately we would like to make this education available to every child in Hampshire County through in school and after-school programs, and summer camps.