This initiative’s goal is to provide an additional mechanism of safety and security for the traversal and intrapersonal activity between students of CPS schools to and from school through the surrounding neighborhood for the 2009-2010 school year.
How Does It Work?
| Objectives: | Strategy: |
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1. Secure the safe arrival of students and staff walking or using public transportation during the morning. 2. Secure the safe departure of students and staff walking or using public transportation during the latter afternoon. 3. Assist school security by intervening and providing conflict resolution between students and/or neighborhood residents. 4. Report to school security any threatening groups, individuals, or situations having a tangible impact on faculty or students. 5. Educate staff and students on existing or emerging gang knowledge relevant to the surrounding neighborhood. 6. Disseminate “problem areas” and determine the best routes of passage for groupings of students to travel. | 1. Community Mobilization – A projected number of 10 to 15 volunteers will be dispatched to cover transportation access points and common loitering spots near the school. 50% of the volunteers utilized will be recruited directly from the surrounding neighborhood of the school within a 1 mile radius. 2. Relationship Leverage – Because our unit specializes in gang intervention strategies we have established relationships with upper level ranking gang members throughout the South Shore community. Our relationships will ensure more cooperation from local street organizations to suppress batteries, assaults, and usage of weapons on any Epic Academy staff or student member. 3. Law Enforcement Communication –Chicago Police Department 3rd and 4th districts work closely with our organization and support our efforts from several perspectives. Instant communication with police mobile units who have direct communication with our team, which uses a radio-coded communication system to speed up response time to incidents. |
Who's Involved?
Safe Passage Host Schools in South Shore |
Bradwell Math, Science, & Technology Academy 7736 South Burnham Avenue
Chicago, IL 60649-4702
(773) 535-6600 |
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Bouchet Math & Science Academy 7355 South Jeffery Boulevard Chicago, IL 60649-3121 (773) 535-0501 |
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Who's Getting It Done?
Local: The parents, staff, and residents volunteer to man identified routes frequented by students based on their addresses. Volunteers dedicate anywhere from 2 to 10 hours a week, and brazen the cold ways of the windy city to ensure the safety of the kids. 
Chicago Alternative Policing Strategies provides a wealth of support in the form of training and equipment, and events sponsorship related to the program.
National: The program is reaching out to universities far beyond the boundaries of Illinois to conduct Chicago site visits, research projects, & internships. The most recent site visit was made this January by the students of AWOL, from the Extraordinary University of South Dakota.
