Stephen F. Austin State University

Officials with the University Police Department at Stephen F. Austin State University recently visited students at Center ISD to discuss safety tips, stranger danger and how to deal with bullies. UPD Officer Tambra Branton, Tina Layton (permits and citations) and Karen Moore (administrative specialist) showed students at Center ISD how to stay safe in a variety of situations.

Branton said the R.A.D. Kids program has been offered through UPD for five years, with training sessions available free of charge to any groups who are interested. R.A.D. is a national program that started as a self-defense program for women. The acronym for the women's program stands for "Rape Aggression Defense." For children, the acronym stands for "Resisting Aggression Defense."

The program is something UPD Chief Marc Cossich introduced to the community when he arrived at SFA five years ago. He initiated the program at the university where he previously worked, and he said he quickly recognized it as something worthwhile.

"The program teaches things that many people don't stop to think about, such as being aware of your surroundings at the mall, at ATM machine and at clubs," Cossich said, regarding the defense program geared for women. "These are all places where females have been victims of attack."

"If a woman is attacked," Cossich said "there are techniques she can use to defend herself."

"Most people have never been in a fight, so they don't know how strong they are," he said. "This training teaches women how to use their strength. On the last day of class they are in a real stic encounter where they use 100 percent of their strength. The 'aggressors' are dressed in thick padding, so the women can kick and punch and defend themselves."

Branton said the training for children is geared a little differently. "We teach children about stranger safety and what to say if they're approached by strangers," she said. "We talk to them about the tricks strangers use, and ways to stay safe."

"For example," Branton said "children are taught to put their bicycles between themselves and strangers if they are approached while riding their bikes."

"The bike can be a barrier," she said. "We teach them say 'no' really loudly, and we teach them what to do if they're grabbed." So what should a child do if they're grabbed?

"Go for the eyes," Branton said. "We call it 'peppering." "Students always ask a lot of questions," and Branton said she comes prepared to answer them. She has conducted R.A.D. Kids training for the SFA/NISD Charter School, Christ Episcopal, the Girl Scouts and others.

Cossich said that over the years he's had several mothers and students come back to him, to tell him how R.A.D. helped them escape a bad situation.

"Once would have been enough for me to know this works, but I've actually had several people report that this works," he said. "These are people who could've been victims, but because of R.A.D., they weren't. It's a good, pro-active approach that we use in our community oriented policing and crime prevention. Doing things like this with the general public helps make the public aware of how not to be a victim."

Cossich and Branton said training is available free of charge for women, children, or combinations of women and children, such as "mother/daughter" events.

For information, call 468-226.