SCHOOL SAFETY PROGRAM

The police department visits Plover schools many times during the school year to present personal safety and other related programs.  Instruction starts in Kindergarten with stranger danger and KIDS identification and progresses to CounterAct in Sixth grade.  Instruction also is done to groups outside of the school setting, such as cub scouts, boy scouts, 4-H, etc.  Many of these programs are done with the assistance/guidance of the Portage County Sheriff’s Department.  Thanks to their co-operation and the cooperation of the school districts, our children are taught safety and positive interaction with law enforcement. 

Some of the programs offered include:

K.I.D.S. Identification – An identification program where kindergarten children are fingerprinted and the prints are given to parents/guardians to use for identification purposes.

McGruff Safety – Children get to meet McGruff the Crime Prevention dog and learn general safety rules.

Bicycle Safety Rodeo – Second, third and fourth graders learn bicycle safety skills and bike rules of the road.

Gun Awareness – Fourth graders learn what to do when they are exposed to guns.  The program teaches avoidance skills, and is not a Gun Safety course, which teaches how to handle and shoot a gun.

Safety Cadets – School crossing guards are trained to safely cross children at intersections around our schools.

CounterAct – Sixth graders are taught skills to counter pressure to use drugs, alcohol, tobacco and violence.

For information on these and other programs, contact Officer Andy Hopfensperger at 345-5255.