On Wednesday, Sept. 28, Sinclair Community College will host its annual Safety Awareness Expo featuring SLA Club day in the plaza between Buildings 10 and 11. The event will be from 10: 00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
The event is open to the public and will be co-sponsored by the Miami Valley Crime Prevention Association. MVCPA is comprised of police officers, sheriff deputies and alarm and security personnel, according to the website www.mvcrimeprevention.com. One of their goals is to provide community involvement while reducing crimes and criminal opportunities.
“My vision for the Expo is that we reach as many people as possible and give them the opportunity to keep themselves safe at home, work or on campus,” Lieutenant Scott Fowler of campus police said.
For 15 years, Lt. Fowler has coordinated the event. He said that the event originally started out as a Safety Fair with only three participants. Now the event is called the Safety Awareness Expo and has increased to more than 40 participants.
The prime focus of the Expo is to bring together neighborhood police departments, health organizations and other outside agencies so that students will get to know them.
Fowler said his fondest memory of last year’s Safety Expo was when members of the Emerald Society played, while several police officers commemorated Trotwood Police Officer Jamie Faulkner. To pay a tribute, they decided to do a special balloon launch for Faulkner who died of cancer. Faulkner also taught sociology at Sinclair.
Various entertainment and attractions will be featured at the event. Free secured shredding of personal documents, one or two K-9 dog demonstrations, AAA emergency key kits, police motorcycles, police vehicle cruise in and so much more.
“The K-9 demonstration is always popular. There will be one or two K-9 dogs doing demonstrations through out the day,” Fowler said. “There will be a drug dog and an explosive dog.”
Live music will be from the Greater Cincinnati Emerald Society Bagpipe and Drum Corps. The bagpipers are a group of police officers from various counties. They perform throughout Southwest Ohio and Northern Kentucky area at different events, according to Fowler.
At the event, the police academy will demonstrate rappelling exercises off Building 10.
According to Livestrong.com, rappelling is the technique of using a rope, harness and a ‘descender. ’ Once connected to the rope, the climber will gradually descend off the building.
Last year, a K-9 dog rappelled off of Building 7. After the event, Fowler said he was retired right after the event.
Several student clubs will have a table with there club information, which includes, Crosswalk Collegiate Ministry, Student Leadership Association, Traditional Values Club, Native American Cultural Club, Disney Club and Sinclair Domestic Task Force.
At noon there will be a ceremony and the 2011 Community Awards sponsored by Sinclair and the MVCPA will recognize the contributions of those who advocate safety awareness or have helped fight crime.
Fowler insists that the campus is safe only because the crime rate is low, but he said that in the past there have been serious events. But he said that crime prevention and awareness is an important aspect for students, faculty and staff to be involved with.
“This event gives students the opportunity to find out a variety of ways to keep themselves safe and more aware,” Fowler said.