The North Carolina Central University School of Education, in partnership with University Police, will introduce Project SAFE – Safety Awareness from Eagles — to Durham Public Schools within a four-mile radius of the NCCU campus.

Project SAFE implements the American Automobile Association School Safety Patrol Program. The program will raise the awareness of safety; provide a safe school environment and a safer community. The program also instills an attitude of service in children at an early age. NCCU Police Department members will serve as trainers and work with the student patrollers throughout the year, making frequent visits to support the patrollers while on duty and for monthly meetings.

“Working with the School Safety Patrol Program is a great opportunity to instill character development at a vital age,” said NCCU Police Lieutenant Charles Simpson. “As law enforcement officers, we are always eager and willing to assist in building the next generation of extraordinary citizens.” 

The program will begin May 23 with the induction of 23 students at Spring Valley Elementary School,  followed by 14 Fayetteville Street Elementary School students on June 3. The fourth graders inducted this summer will begin serving as patrollers in the coming school year. Each year, NCCU plans to add another school to the program.

“This creates a service-learning project for our education majors over the summer and during the academic year,” said Dr. Cheresa Clemons, assistant professor in the School of Education. NCCU students will volunteer hours mentoring and working with the students while on patrol post and in their team-building projects.  “We also hope this project will help create future teachers and law enforcement officers that give back to their community and society,” Clemons said.

All media are invited to the Fayetteville Street Elementary induction ceremony on June 3 at 9:30 a.m. The event will include local and state law enforcement agency representatives, government officials, university representatives and NCCU students. The program is made possible by a grant from the Walmart Foundation and Facility # 4369 Local Community Contribution/Hunger Outreach Grant Program.

The accreditation of the North Carolina Central University Police Department has been renewed by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA). Accreditation by the commission is considered an international benchmark for excellence by major law enforcement associations, leading educational and training institutions and governmental agencies.

The reaccreditation came after an extensive review that included an on-site assessment of the department in November 2012. To earn accreditation, departments must comply with nearly 500 specific standards that cover all aspects of police service. 

NCCU Police Chief Timothy Bellamy said, “The NCCU Police Department is dedicated to being a professional organization. The hard work and dedication from members of the department have truly paid off. Complying with CALEA standards makes us a better agency. Maintaining CALEA accreditation standards allows agencies to improve delivery of service to the community, and strengthen crime prevention and control.”

The NCCU Police Department received its first CALEA accreditation in 2009, and was just the second department at a historically black college or university to achieve it. The accreditation must be renewed every three years.