AL POLLOCK

Slowing the spread of crime from one generation to the next begins with children. If we can reach them sooner, provide guidance, hope, build trust, and help them make good choices, it is possible to reduce the number of people who become involved in criminal activities.

 

The Broward Sheriff’s Office Department of Community Services currently administers programs that reach out to children, such as the Police Athletic League (P.A.L) and Law Enforcement Explorers. While effective, the number of children attending P.A.L. programs is decreasing each year, and the number of BSO Explorer events and meetings has remained the same. These programs can be expanded to reach more children, particularly in high-crime neighborhoods.

 

We will help children by broadening our community outreach through PAL, Explorers, Junior Firefighters, drivers’ education and other programs that we develop and expand. This will help build trust and bring more stability to our relationships with people in high-crime neighborhoods.

 

We also will develop programs with fire-rescue to provide free swimming lessons, visit schools to teach children about home fire safety, and will provide free CPR classes in neighborhood community centers.

 

Crime Stoppers is also essential to community outreach. We will expand this program’s outreach and encourage more interaction with communities.

 

BSO’s Community Services Departments also manages school resource officers, homeless outreach, crisis intervention and public information. It is a mix of unrelated services that needs focus and attention. 

 

As your sheriff, I will reorganize this department to be more effective, and more active in reaching out to all of the communities that we serve.