Youth Services

The bureau's Youth Strategies Division provides programs for young people to reduce youth violence, prevent drug use, promote child safety, and improve relationships between police and young people, with a special emphasis on at-risk individuals. For more information, you can contact the Community Affairs Bureau by email (communityaffairs@nypd.org) or phone (646-610-5323), or contact the community affairs officer at your local police precinct.

• Summer Youth Police Academy
• Law Enforcement Explorers
• Presentations and Mentoring
• Police Athletic League

The Youth Strategies Division also participates in several collaborative programs, including:

Operation Safe Child is a collaborative partnership run by the New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services. Identification cards are issued to participating families that include a high resolution photo of their child, along with information on gender, date of birth, height and weight, and hair and eye color. Parents may also choose to include digital fingerprints of the child.

Operation Conversation: Cops and Kids is a part of the All Stars Project, Inc., promotes positive interactions between local youth and police officers. The program consists of workshops that use performance, improvisational games, and conversation to help teenagers and the police develop and improve relationships with each other.

McGruff the Crime Dog is used at community events, school presentations, and youth events as part of the National Crime Prevention Council. The character hugs and poses with children, accompanying police presentations that reinforce awareness on the negative effects of bullying, drug use, and criminal behavior.