The City of Fort Wayne’s public safety departments are partnering with a southeastside ministry to provide public safety camps for kids and teens.
Bridge of Grace Ministries will host Fort Wayne’s fire and police departments, and up to three hundred kids for three weeklong public safety camps.
The idea is to educate the youth about how to respond to public safety situations in their own neighborhoods, and to potentially groom them for their own careers in public safety.
Mayor Tom Henry says the City’s departments aren’t as diverse as they could be. Bridge of Grace Ministries Pastor Javier Mondragon says this program is critical, considering recent national unrest surrounding police relations.
“The challenges that are going around in this city, and also around the nation, and the relationships between the police and people," says Mondragon, "and we want to be proactive and preventing that.”
Fort Wayne Police Chief Garry Hamilton says more positive interactions with police could override the many negative interactions that youth experience.
The camps will include equipment demonstrations from officers and firefighters, including K9 and emergency units.
Camps cost $15 per session. Applications are available at bridgeofgracecmcdotorg.