Operation 15 is a summer youth program created by the Savannah-Chatham Board of Education Police Department in 2016. Designed for rising 7th–9th graders, it brings students together for three weeks of mentorship, character building, and life skills training — with the goal of helping students grow into confident, capable, and connected young people.

Daily sessions are hands-on and wide-ranging, covering:

• Anti-bullying and conflict resolution
• Drug and gang awareness
• Health and wellness
• Physical fitness
• Daily journal writing and reflection

Together, these modules build the social, emotional, and cognitive tools students need to navigate everyday life — while creating real relationships between students, law enforcement, and community members that carry well beyond the summer.

The 2026 program will run from June 1–22 at Windsor Forest High School, 12419 Largo Drive, Savannah, GA 31419, from 7:00 AM to 3:00 PM.

Space is limited to 30 participants. For more information, please contact Sergeant First Class Darby, at (912) 395-5535.

The SCCPSS Junior Police Academy (JPA) was established in January 2017 as a proactive youth engagement initiative under the SCCPSS Board of Education Police Department. Modeled after the National Junior Police Academy framework, the program emphasizes structured mentorship, character development, and early exposure to public service pathways. Currently, the program serves 80 active cadets across 8 participating middle schools. The Academy is a collaboration among School Resource Officers, school administrators, school staff, and community partners. The program remains active and sustainable, continuing to grow in alignment with district goals for student engagement, school safety, and workforce development.

The JPA was designed to strengthen positive relationships between youth and law enforcement, develop leadership and accountability among middle school students, support violence prevention and school safety initiatives, provide early exposure to public service career pathways, and establish a structured pipeline for high school pathway recruitment. The program incorporates nationally recognized best practices, including a structured academy-style curriculum, mentorship-based instruction, scenario-based learning, leadership development modules, experiential demonstrations, and community service engagement. Its curriculum emphasizes discipline, accountability, conflict resolution, personal safety, bullying prevention, communication skills, and civic responsibility. Measurable outcomes include increased student confidence and leadership capacity, improved student–officer relationships, enhanced school climate and safety awareness, positive behavior reinforcement, greater interest in public safety careers, and structured assessments supported by direct student feedback.

Current Participating Schools:

• Coastal Middle School
• DeRenne Middle School
• Hubert Middle School
• Mercer Middle School
• Myers Middle School
• Southwest Middle School
• STEM Academy
• West Chatham Middle School

In the long term, the SCCPSS Junior Police Academy is positioned for strategic growth and expanded impact. Plans include increasing enrollment from 80 to 160 students by serving both 7th and 8th grade cadets across middle and K–8 schools, strengthening relationships between law enforcement and all stakeholders—especially students—and increasing district-wide participation. The program will also continue to deepen community partnerships and aims to serve as a model for school-based law enforcement mentorship programs across Georgia.

S.A.F.E. is the BOEPD's new countywide Anti-Gang Violence and Education initiative — a proactive effort to address gang and gun violence affecting students and the broader community. It focuses on raising awareness, providing education, and strengthening partnerships between students, families, and schools to promote safer environments on and off campus.

Every student should feel safe traveling to school, learning in the classroom, and returning home. Through community forums and open discussions, students, families, and staff can share perspectives, ask questions, and build the trust needed to tackle the challenges facing our district.

At its core, S.A.F.E. uses education, awareness, and community engagement to stop violence before it starts — equipping young people with the knowledge to make informed choices and creating meaningful space for dialogue between students and adults.

More information on forums and events coming soon.

Sandy Hook Promise is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting children from gun violence. Founded by family members who lost loved ones in the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, their mission is to educate and empower youth and adults to recognize the warning signs of potential violence — and to act before tragedy strikes. Through their evidence-informed Know the Signs programs, including Say Something and Start With Hello, they equip students and adults with the awareness and tools to spot someone in crisis, speak up, and get help.

All of our school administrators and students in grades 4–12 participate in this training so that they know how to recognize the signs and share concerns before a situation escalates. Central to that is the Say Something Anonymous Reporting System — a safe, confidential way for students to speak up about anything that doesn't feel right, without fear. When students feel secure enough to report what they see, our team can respond quickly and get the right support in place.

Savannah-Chatham County Crime Stoppers provides students with an anonymous tip line to report crimes and safety concerns directly to law enforcement. Tips can cover anything from drugs, weapons, and theft to threats, vandalism, and suspicious activity — on campus or in the surrounding community.

Students are often the first to hear something — both on campus and beyond our school walls. This program gives them a direct, no-risk way to act.