The Crime Prevention Unit is organized under the Public Information Office and provides valuable resources to programs and services in order to solidify the commitment of the ACSO to promote close ties with and respond to the needs of our community. Without community support, successful law enforcement is difficult, if not impossible. A free flow of information between the citizens of the community and the ACSO facilitates positive interactions with the following goals in mind:

  • Establish and maintain ongoing liaison with community groups and exchange information of mutual concern
  • Convey information transmitted from community groups to appropriate ACSO personnel
  • Identify training eneds in the area of community relations and crime prevention
  • Improve ACSO policies and procedures as they relate to law enforcement/public safety communications/community relations based on input and knowledge received from citizen groups
  • Identify needs for new or different kinds of community groups where none presently exist and assist in their creation

Current Programs

Neighborhood Watch

Neighborhood Watch is a cooperative effort between the community and the ACSO. To become recognized as a Neighborhood Crime Watch Community, neighborhoods must conduct at least three (3) initial meetings within one year. These meetings must be attended by a member of the ACSO Crime Prevention Unit. Thereafter, only one (1) regular meeting per year is needed with the Crime Prevention Unit. The Crime Prevention Unit will make available Neighborhood Crime Watch signs that will be posted near the entrance to the designated neighborhood.

Business Watch

The Crime Prevention Unit, through liaison with businesses in Alachua County, shall keep up with current crime trends pertaining to businesses, and shall disseminate information to help educate businesses about crime.

Rape Aggression Defense

The R.A.D. Systems of Self Defense offers programs for women, children, men and seniors. These offerings
provide a truly holistic approach to self-defense education, supporting the necessity of continuous learning in order to provide realistic options for each population as they go through life. Each of these programs includes educational
components comprised of lecture, discussion, physical resistive strategies. All of which are facilitated by certified R.A.D. Instructors supported by a network of dedicated professionals who honor one another’s student through our unique
Lifetime Return and Practice Policy. R.A.D. programs include:

  1. R.A.D. for Women – The Cornerstone of R.A.D. Systems, this course has its foundations in education and awareness. The course includes lecture, discussion and self-defense techniques suitable for women of all ages and
    abilities.
  2. R.A.D. for Seniors – A program that offers awareness and defense strategies for older adults. This course is taught in a relaxed environment that is conducive to learning tested instructional techniques, proven tactics, and unique insights about the problems unique to older adults. The program also includes physical defense workouts for technique development, and educational components to assist with the development of defensive strategies.

radKIDS

A program designed to tech and empower children to develop plans, strategies, and tactics through an activity-based methodology that not only prepares them to respond to danger at their highest level but also builds resiliency within a child for those times in life when life is just not fair, especially when anyone tries to hurt them. Children are empowered in their own safety and able to make plans to respond to any violence or conflict in their lives based on three (3) foundational principals to learn and make theirs.

Self-Defense Awareness and Familiarization Exchange (S.A.F.E.)

A program designed to help members of the community become more aware of and better familiar with basic self-defense concepts. The course is a 2-hour class geared toward adult and teenage women.

Crime Prevention Brochures

The ACSO is committed to the safety of our community. Please see the links below to access important crime prevention educational materials on various topics.