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CSUN Police Services Relaunches Family-Centered Safety Education Program

From safety at home to avoiding and escaping predators to planning for natural disasters, children will learn what to do during a series of workshops taught by members of Cal State Northridge’s Department of Police Services.

The department has relaunched radKIDS® (Resist Aggression Defensively), a 10-hour, family-centered safety education program geared to children between the ages of five and 12 and their parents. The program teaches positive safe choices for children to handle abuse, bullying, abduction and every day safety issues.

“It’s about giving kids their empowerment back and realizing that they can do something themselves and not necessarily always have to rely on an adult,” said Daniel Foster, the department’s crime prevention coordinator and one of the program’s trainers. “It’s without saying one of the best gifts you can give to your child.”

The program was first offered in 2005 but was put on hold when the officer in charge left the department. CSUN Police Sgt. Frank Gudani and Foster will serve as the new instructors. Both Gudani and Foster are also R.A.D for men (Resisting Aggression Defensively) and R.A.D. for women (Rape Aggression Defense) instructors.

The instructors said the class will include hands-on demonstrations and “role play” to help the children learn how to respond during critical times.

CSUN is one of dozens of agencies throughout the country that offer the radKIDS program. The program was developed in 1998 by the Massachusetts-based not-for-profit educational organization after years of research and input from educators, law enforcement, sexual assault counselors, self-defense experts and concerned parents and children.

“This class really involves the parents where they also learn as well. It’s just as much a class for parents as it is for kids,” said Christina Villalobos, community relations officer.

The five-day class will be offered Dec. 7-11 from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at the Department of Police Services training room. It costs $10 per child. It is first-come, first-served until the maximum of 10 children is reached.

For more information, contact the CSUN Police Department Crime Prevention & Community Relations Unit at (818) 677-7922.