Children's Village of Washington County

The Children's Village of Washington County is a miniaturized safety education complex. It was created for the purpose of educating second grade students of Washington County. Safety instructors from various public safety departments assist in delivering the two-day curriculum. Every second grade student in Washington County spends two days of their school year at the Village. One day is devoted toward police safety issues and the other to fire safety issues.

The Hagerstown City Police Department is proud to take a very active role in providing the police instruction. Students are instructed in matters such as using 911, "Stranger Danger," and the dangers of drug and alcohol abuse. Traffic safety is also stressed, including pedestrian safety, bicycle safety and school bus safety. A highlight for the children comes at the end of the program when they get behind the wheel of the Village's battery powered cars. As they drive through the miniature village, they get a new perspective of pedestrian and bicycle safety and get to practice firsthand the safety "rules of the road." In the area of fire safety students learn the value of smoke detectors, planning fire escape routs and the dangers resulting from a fire.

Another valuable benefit of the Children's Village Program is that children get to spend a day with a police officer. This experience can impress upon a young mind that a police officer can be thier friend. This contact helps to build the respect and trust that is vital when assistance is needed and can make the child more likely to seek professional help in an emergency.

We are pleased that the community has such a showcase facility and proud to be a part of such an innovative program. For more information about Children's Village, call 301-733-4443.