Mount Laurel Police Department

Community Safety Officer Program

The Mount Laurel Police Department has been involved with Drug Awareness Education in our schools for decades but those visits were few and restrictive and only gave students limited exposure to the available talent within the police department.

The Community Safety Officer Program is designed to be more flexible and adaptable as a response to developing social and safety issues faced by the youth of today.

The new program will allow more exposure to a larger group of officer role models to the schools along with a wide range of subjects crafted by members of the Police Department and in conjunction with the School Board.

Experienced street officers and supervisors are assigned to the Community Safety Officer Program and receive ongoing specialized training. Lesson plans on appropriate, contemporary topics have been developed in cooperation with Mount Laurel Township school administration staff.

The program debuted with presentations at the Hartford and Harrington Middle schools in October at the beginning of the 2005-2006 school year on Safety Practices. Additional topics to be presented include: Victimization, Personal Safety, Community Safety, Gang Awareness, Drug-Alcohol-Tobacco Dangers, and Internet Safety.

Feedback from students, parents, and school staff on the Community Safety Officer program continue to be positive and plans are to continue into the 2008-2009 school year.