Project Healthy Tiger

Project healthy tiger is a program that takes portions of the DARE program and enhances the contact between the students and the police.  In each of the programs lessons the officers are educating children on more than just the topics covered by DARE.   Students are allowed to explore any type of police related topic.  This program has been recieved well within the school system.  Project Healthy Tiger is an enhancement to the former police and student partnership as part of this partnership the program was named by the students. 

These programs operate to assist the most important resource of any community, our children.  Officer Louis Sperry and Officer Aldo Cicchetti teach the classes and Sergeant Edward O'Rourke coordinates the program.

Police / Student  Partnership

Shown in this photo is Detective Sergeant Barry Young and Officers Flammia and Cicchetti

The general purpose of this program is to increase student awareness and respect for the legal process and present a realistic image of police officers in the community. The program will help students understand the concept of justice and display the "human component" of police officers. The program also strives to reduce the problem of juvenile drug use, violence, and other juvenile crime in the community. It continues the relationship that has been developed by the D.A.R.E. program and it keeps an open line of communication between police, teachers, students, and parents.

Officers go to these classrooms and speak to the students in small numbers so that each student is able to ask questions and participate in the dialogue. The scheduling of these classes are arranged so that they do not interfere with the school’s scheduled curriculum.

The first meeting that officers have with the students who have never been involved with the program serves as an ice breaker. The students are introduced to the program by being able to ask any questions that they want to. The planned "rap sessions" are published in each school’s own pamphlets which are sent home to parents through the mail. The articles in the pamphlets inform the parents of the program, give a brief overview of what it was about, and ask that parents encourage their children to participate in the program. The "rap sessions" have made the students more comfortable around police officers.

For students who have already been exposed to the program, a specific topic of discussion is prepared. Officers work closely with officials from each school to prepare a topic that will be as beneficial as possible to the students. Keeping the program’s goals in mind, officers are encouraged to speak with officials from their assigned schools to identify what topics will be most advantageous. More recently, a group of students representing the student body from Dover High School was formed to assist officers and school officials in determining what topics would be most beneficial for discussion.

Since the programs inception, officers have been approached by many students who call the officers by their names. These students speak to officers about school activities, reveal serious and/or potential problems, or stop just to say hello. The positive effects of the program are already visible.