Be careful what you post online, always have a buddy, and don’t talk to strangers.
These are just a few safety tips featured in artwork submitted for the 40th edition of the Naperville Police Department’s Crime Prevention Calendar.
Crime Prevention Calendar gives kids a voice in safety
The calendar was started by the Naperville Police Department in 1986. For four decades, it’s looked to Naperville-area kids to help spread crime prevention messages.
“Back in the early 80s, it was the idea of having a whole community perspective on what that calendar could say,” said Pam George, crime prevention specialist at the Naperville Police Department. “So whether it’s hanging in a business or a home, our students are telling us how they feel about their safety.”
Students from Naperville School District 203, Indian Prairie School District 204, and local private schools can submit artwork depicting the safety messages they learned from the police’s crime prevention classes.
“Those classes start in anywhere from third grade up through sixth grade, and that allows us to talk about really strong themes about how students are safe and how we integrate the skills that they need to be safe,” George said. “They are with us often as adults, but sometimes they’re not. They’re out in playgrounds, and they’re out playing sports and doing school activities. We want them to have the ability to make good choices, to keep themselves safe in a proactive way.”
A creative way for students to spread safety messages
The Naperville Police Department staff receive the artwork and vote on their favorite images in the spring.
“We see some great messages: Don’t text and drive, don’t talk to strangers, don’t call 911 when you’re not supposed to, don’t drink or smoke,” said Chief of Police Jason Arres. “It’s really cool to see the way these kids take these different thoughts they have on what they’ve learned in school. So it kind of shows, wow, they’re listening, they’re learning, and then now they’re helping others learn those same lessons.”
“Our officers are seeing, from a student perspective, what’s on their mind,” George said. “So when they’re having conversations in the community, they’re making the connections to how children are feeling about their safety in our city and making that even stronger.”
Students awarded for best crime prevention images
In the fall, the completed calendars with the winning artwork are sent to families in each district. Approximately 2,000 calendars are distributed each year. Arres and Mayor Scott Wehrli also invite the winning students to a celebration in council chambers.
“There’s two sides that come together to make this community safe, and that’s the community participating in crime prevention and solving crime,” Arres said. “So this is that piece of the community, albeit some of our smaller members in the community, our elementary school kids, their way of contributing to help keep this community safe.”
Looking to the next 40 years of crime prevention
It’s a practice the department hopes to continue for years to come.
“I look forward to this tradition going on for many, many years beyond the 40th. We’re excited to celebrate that fun edition, but I know this is a strong-standing tradition in our community, and I’m proud to be a part of it,” George said.
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