North New Castle News

Wilmington Mayor Mike Purzycki, Chief of Police Wilfredo Campos, and Chief of Fire John Looney today celebrated the graduation of the 27 participants in the City’s Youth Public Safety Academy. A ceremony was held at the Community Education Building, and the participants were joined by family members and loves ones, in addition to members of the police and fire departments.
 
The academy, which was held over the past two weeks, is a program for young people between the ages of 13 and 17. Participants attended a mock police and fire academy that involved role-playing, teambuilding exercises, hands-on activities, presentations, and field trips, along with a physical fitness component.
 
“We are excited to celebrate the graduation of this year’s Youth Public Safety Academy, and we enjoyed getting to know the participants and teaching them about various aspects of public safety and public service,” said Chief Campos. “We also appreciate the partnership of the Wilmington Fire Department, and the commitment of staff from both of our agencies who made this year’s academy a success.”
 
“The past two weeks have been an incredible experience for all the young men and women. They were introduced to many facets of our noble professions,” said Chief Looney. “The partnership between Wilmington Fire and Wilmington Police displayed to the participants many of our shared core values – professionalism, dedication, perseverance, respectfulness, and service to others.”
 
The curriculum for this year’s academy featured a range of topics, including conflict resolution, fingerprinting, crime scene investigation, fire safety, drug awareness, traffic and criminal law, building searches, K9 Unit operations, explosive and bomb investigations, physical agility training (push-ups, sit-ups, light calisthenics), first aid, gang awareness, a discussion about the juvenile justice system, arson investigations, report writing, and internet safety.
 
“The Youth Public Safety is a fantastic opportunity for young people who are interested in public service, or who may simply benefit from positive interactions with our dedicated police officers and fire fighters, to gain first-hand experience about the challenges and rewards associated with being a first responder in the City of Wilmington,” said Mayor Purzycki. “I congratulate all of the graduates and thank the many WPD and WFD officials who put this program together, as well as our many community partners for their continued support of our youth.”
 
This year’s academy was supported by a number of partners, including the Police Athletic League of Wilmington and the Community Education Building, which provided space for academy sessions and the graduation ceremony. Additionally, City Council President Ernest “Trippi” Congo and the team at ShopRite of Christina Crossing provided support for meals for each participant.
 
The program was presented with assistance from JPMorgan Chase, which once again supported the effort through outfitting participants with t-shirts and hats, and providing other materials to help make their experience memorable. Mayor Purzycki, Chief Campos, and Chief Looney thanked JPMorgan Chase for its ongoing commitment to Wilmington and to the residents and businesses of Delaware’s largest City.
 
“It’s important that we all support our city’s youth, who represent it’s future,” said Don Mell, Delaware Site lead for the Delaware market at JPMorgan Chase. “We at Chase are proud to support programs such as the City’s Youth Public Safety Academy, which help to strengthen and unify our community.”   .

Original source can be found here.