Md. group provides training to police, neighborhood watch
By: Freeman Klopott
Examiner Staff Writer
August 26, 2009
At a time when a so-called police training program in Montgomery County is the subject of a fraud investigation, there are some law enforcement and community safety training programs that clearly provide a legitimate service.
One of those is the Maryland Crime Prevention Association Inc. Since 1983, the group of law enforcement officials from around the state has run seminars on community policing. It has also worked to inform citizen groups -- like neighborhood watch organizations -- of how to prevent crime in their neighborhoods.
In recent years, the group, headed by Baltimore police Maj. Ronald Schwartz, has added homeland security training to its curriculum and sends out security information to its members.
"One of our goals is to continue to provide Homeland Security information, training, and support to our members and assist with our nation's security efforts," Schwartz said in an Internet posting.
But much of its focus still remains on the community. At the end of September, the association will hold a four-day seminar for law enforcement officers who are assigned to basic residential policing roles.
Community groups can also contact the nonprofit organization to set up training for their members.
The free-of-charge training includes:
Gang awareness: Provides the history, indicators and identifiers of street gangs.
Internet safety: Addresses online sexual predators, identity theft and general Internet safety practices.
Personal safety: Geared toward high school-age children and young adults, the program emphasizes recognizing and avoiding potentially dangerous situations.
Target hardening: Safety tips for keeping criminals out of the home.
Bullying: Lessons show the problems with bullying and how it's not a rite of passage, but rather has serious consequences.
Neighborhood groups in Maryland interested in obtaining the training should call the association's offshoot, the Maryland Community Crime Prevention Institute, at 1-800-303-8802.
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