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Society Improvement Program

The Society Improvement Program (also known as S.I.P.) is a joint effort of the Gloucester Township Police Department and the Gloucester Township School System. The program, initiated in January, 1976, had as its original purposes—the bettering of relations between students and police officers, and lessening of vandalism and related juvenile crimes. Over the years, program goals have been expanded to include drug abuse prevention, bicycle safety, shoplifting prevention, stranger and play safety, and a discussion of community responsibility. Initially, three officers were assigned to the program on a part-time basis. Today, there are seventeen officers who participate in the program on a part-time basis. All additionally are still assigned to their patrol duties.

Currently, the program encompasses grades Pre-K through 8 in all township public schools. Since 1982, the three regional parochial schools and one private school have also participated in the program. Almost 9,000 children have at least one non-adversarial, non-enforcement contact with a police officer each year due to this program.

Program Outline

The following is a brief grade by grade synopsis of the program:

Pre K - Kindergarten:

SIP officers visit each Pre-K and Kindergarten classroom. The purpose of the visit is to introduce a police officer to the children as a community helper and friend. Hopefully, fears that a child harbors about police officers may be lessened and the child is encouraged to seek out an officer if lost in a public place, or in other emergencies. A mini lesson on strangers, along with the Walt Disney video "The Police Station" are also presented. The visit is primarily on a socializing level just to get acquainted. Children are given an "Officer Bill" coloring book.

First Grade:

Officers visit each individual classroom and present a lesson on personal safety. The Walt Disney video "Too Smart for Strangers" is presented and discussed by the class. The children are also given a coloring book, called "The Safe Way to Walk and Play". Teachers are encouraged to go over the book in class, and the children are urged to take the book home and discuss it with their parents.

Second Grade:

A drug prevention problem is presented. The basis of the program is a coloring book entitled "Only Sick People Need Drugs". The primary presenters of the program are the classroom teachers. At the end of the teacher's lesson on the topic, the SIP officers discuss the topic with the children. This reinforces what their teacher taught them and provides another adult's opinion to reinforce the classroom presentation. The children are encouraged to take the book home and discuss "medicine rules" and other drug related topics with their parents.

Third Grade:

Officers present the video "Taking Responsibility: What's Wrong with Vandalism", and discuss the video and other topics with the class. Included in this topic is an introduction to the legal age of responsibility and a discussion of peer pressure.

Fourth Grade:

Introduction to D.A.R.E. by D.A.R.E. Officers.

Fifth Grade:

D.A.R.E. (Drug Awareness Resistance Education)

Sixth Grade:

A program on shoplifting is presented during the month of November and December. Timed to coincide with the holiday shopping season, this program deals with the consequences of shoplifting. A Disney video "Paying the Price" introduces the concept to the students. In a short discussion afterwards, the officer covers the problems of peer pressure, loss of reputation, loss of trust, and other negative results of becoming a "thief".

Seventh & Eighth Grades:

There is no set program for these grade levels. Individual teachers are encouraged to avail their classes of the services of SIP officers for any specific topics they wish to be addressed. In previous years, vandalism, juvenile delinquency, criminal law, and other topics have been covered. For several years, one middle school had a very successful study of vandalism related problems, a part of which was a free form discussion with a SIP officer.