Blog - Community Policing & Neighborhood Watch

Dallas, like each of the FBI’s local field offices, has a community outreach program that complements and strengthens our many efforts to protect you, your businesses, and your families in concrete ways through a range of activities and initiatives. The Dallas office is a strong contributor to community partnerships because, as a federal agency with national and international reach, we bring our own special resources, intelligence, and expertise to the table. For example: Our investigations into terrorism, cyber crime, gangs, drug trafficking, civil rights violations, fugitives, and other crimes—often worked in tandem with local police, sheriffs, and other law enforcement partners—keep us on the leading edge of knowing the dangers that threaten your community. Our partnerships with local companies and institutions protect locally against economic espionage and acts of terrorism. Our assistance to crime victims in the Dallas Division area provides a lifeline to people who have been harmed by violence and crime. Our research of crime statistics spotlights crime trends and incidents in your geographical location. Our research and expertise in special areas helps defend against specific community issues like missing and exploited children, school shootings, and violence in the workplace. In the end, it’s all about people-to-people contacts. The Dallas Community Outreach Program works to put a human face on the FBI and further strengthen relationships, including by: Coordinating an Adopt-A-School program that puts volunteer agent and staff members inside classrooms to mentor and tutor “at risk” kids; Coordinating and hosting a yearly Citizens Academy that brings a diverse group of community leaders into the Dallas Field Office to learn firsthand about FBI operations and programs; Meeting with local educators, minority groups, and organizations to talk about what the FBI can do with them and for them; Participating in “Red Ribbon Week” which educates kids and adults alike on the dangers of drugs and alcohol and encourages them to wear red ribbons as a sign of their commitment to stay drug free; Participating in “National Night Out”; Presenting topical information about current fraudulent activity affecting our community at the Dallas “Scam Jam”’; Coordinating and hosting a yearly Teen Academy to provide education and information about the FBI; and Participating in the “Kids and Cops Day” at the Texas State Fair as a member of the “Kids and Cops” trading card initiative. Our recent activities include: Special Agent in Charge Diego Rodriguez presented the 2012 FBI Director’s Community Leadership Award to Jan Langbein, executive director of Genesis Women’s Shelter and the co-founder of the Conference on Crimes Against Women (CCAW), held annually in Dallas. Our Citizens Academy brings together a cross section of approximately 40 community leaders to learn firsthand about our operations and programs, not only demystifying our work but creating new contacts and channels for working together and sharing information. For information on participating in the next Citizens Academy session, please contact the Dallas FBI by e-mail at angela.d.harris@ic.fbi.gov. Our latest Teen Citizens Academy brought together area teens from throughout the North Texas area to learn firsthand about our operations and programs and to gain skills useful in making informed decisions and choices. Teens considered for participation must be between the ages of 13 and 18 and not be high school graduates. For information on participating in the next Teen Academy session, please contact the Dallas FBI by e-mail at angela.d.harris@ic.fbi.gov. outreach_camp.jpg Camp Quality—an international initiative—has a non-profit youth summer camp in Tyler, Texas for children with cancer. Each year, they hold a reunion of campers, their families, and staff in the Dallas area. This year’s theme was Superheroes. The FBI was contacted by a representative of Camp Quality and asked to support the event. The Dallas FBI responded enthusiastically, sending members of the Evidence Recovery Team, the Hazardous Materials Response Team, and the SWAT Team, who set up displays and vehicles. The event was attended by approximately 40 children and their families, who eagerly explored the FBI exhibits and interacted with our personnel. Among our other ongoing efforts: Meeting with minority groups and civic organizations to talk about what the FBI can do with them and for them and hosting town hall meetings as needed to dialogue on key issues; Sending our special agents and other personnel into schools, businesses, and civic organizations to explain emerging crime and security threats and to provide specific advice on how to prevent being victimized by these threats; Supporting the graduates of our Citizens Academies, who often band together in local alumni chapters to create crime prevention programs and other initiatives that benefit communities; Encouraging citizens to step forward to report crime and serve as witnesses in court; and Distributing Child ID fingerprint kits in coordination with the National Child Identification program at community events.

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