The city Office of Neighborhood Involvement's Crime Prevention Program takes its efforts to a whole new level this month when it hosts "Ready. Safe. Go.," a daylong crime prevention training conference.
The event runs from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Saturday, April 29, at Portland CommunityCollege's Sylvania Campus, 12000 S.W. 49th Ave.
The deadline to register for the conference is April 10. Online registration is available at www.portlandonline. com/oni/.
"This is a first-ever for the Crime Prevention Program — offering a full-day conference,"said Stephanie Reynolds,the program's interim manager.
"It is one way to respond to the training requests we receive from our long-time veteran crime prevention volunteers. And, there are residents who are interested in crime prevention but don't quite know how to begin or connect. This day is for them, too."
The conference will touch on a range of subjects, including fraud, identity theft and mail theft; residential burglary prevention; gangs and youth violence; neighborhood drug activity; and reinvigorating neighborhood watch or foot patrol programs.
Crime Prevention Program staff members will teach most of the workshops. Guest instructors will handle the rest, including the Portland Police Bureau's Women Strength Director Sara Johnson, who will teach a course on personal safety.
Reynolds added that one of the best ways to create safer neighborhoods is to get neighbors to know each other and to organize to reduce crime and the fear of crime.
"Aside from the opportunity for this quality free training, our Ready. Safe. Go. training conference is an excellent way for crime prevention volunteers to network with their peers throughout the city," she said.
"An exciting aspect of the day's training includes a series of real public safety scenarios. These scenarios bring together interested public safety volunteers who will employ their skills, knowledge and creative thinking to address the issue at hand."
