BLAST (Building Lasting Relationships Between Police and Community) Program & "Chasing the Dragon" Film Screening
PANAMA CITY, FLORIDA - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida will join the LEAD Coalition of Bay County and the following agencies to present a youth summit on Friday to approximately 220 high school and middle school students.
Participating agencies include:
* LEAD Coalition of Bay County
* U.S. Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida
* Florida Highway Patrol
* Bay County Sheriff’s Office
* Federal Bureau of Investigation
* Drug Enforcement Administration
* Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives
* Panama City Police Department
* U.S. Secret Service
* U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations
* U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Inspector General
Participating schools include: (Students with media permissions will be identified.)
* Bay High School
* Rosenwald High School
* Rutherford High School
* Everitt Middle School
* Jinks Middle School
* AMIkids, Panama City Marine Institute
* C.C. Washington Academy
Event:
3rd Annual Bay County Youth Crime Prevention Summit
BLAST Program (for 100 high school students)
“Chasing the Dragon" film screening (for 120 middle school students)
Host: LEAD Coalition of Bay County
Location:
Gulf Coast State College
Student Union East, 2nd Floor
5230 West Highway 98
Panama City, FL 32401
Date: Friday, Nov. 3, 2017
Time:
9:30 a.m. CDT Opening Remarks. Please note Central Time.
10:15 a.m. - 12:15 p.m. CDT Breakout Sessions
Press:
To RSVP for the event, to coordinate interviews, and for BLAST Program-specific questions:
Amy Alexander
850-491-0367(cell)
amy.alexander@usdoj.gov
For questions related to Chasing the Dragon:
Amanda Videll
FBI Public Affairs Specialist
904-349-7750 (cell)
amanda.videll@ic.fbi.gov
For questions about the Bay County Youth Crime Prevention Summit or the LEAD Coalition:
Janice Lucas
850-913-3263
Jlucas1@gulfcoast.edu
BLAST Program
The BLAST Program offers students an opportunity to meet representatives of the criminal justice community and ask them questions, share their perceptions of law enforcement, and interact with officers in a familiar setting. Officers also provide students with their perspective on responding to dangerous or uncertain circumstances and the importance of remaining calm and following the officers’ directions in these situations.
The schedule will include the following discussion sessions, during which students will have a chance to participate and role play with law enforcement officers.
* Criminal Justice Overview: Students will learn about each phase of a federal criminal case, including investigation, prosecution, and sentencing.
This session is open to the media and public, and videography and photography is permitted.
* Domestic Violence: Students will participate in a scenario in which police respond to a domestic disturbance. Discussion includes the challenges officers face, rights of witnesses and suspects, and benefits of providing information to the police.
This session is open to the media and public, and videography and photography is permitted.
* Traffic Stop Simulation: Participants and officers alternate playing the roles of civilians and officers in a traffic stop. Discussion includes de-escalation and the uncertainty officers and vehicle occupants face during a traffic stop.
This session is open to the media and public, and videography and photography is permitted.
* Use of Force: Facilitators and students will discuss when law enforcement officers may use force and an officer’s reaction time when confronted with a life-threatening situation.
This session is closed to the media and public. Reporters may try the simulator equipment after the event ends.
Chasing the Dragon
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) co-produced a 45-minute documentary titled Chasing the Dragon: The Life of an Opiate Addict. The film features several stark, first-hand accounts of the dangers of opiate addiction. A free download of the film is available online, along with a teacher discussion guide.
Over the past year, law enforcement agencies, including the FBI, DEA, and U.S. Attorney’s Office, have hosted screenings of the film to educate students on the dangers of opiate abuse and to discuss how the issue could impact their lives and future careers.
The United States Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access available public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
