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Community Outreach
As the only non-investigative program in
the Bureau, FBI Chicago's Community Outreach Program (COP) has been
involved in several activities. The mission of the FBI's COP is to provide a comprehensive program that deals with
multiple interrelated societal problems, including crime, drugs, gangs,
and violence, in support of the FBI's investigative mission. Linking
community service, prevention, and law enforcement is a major
national trend as grass roots efforts have brought about federal
government support for public safety initiatives. FBI employees have joined in this national
movement, volunteering in a wide variety of community-related efforts.
Recognizing the interdependency of children, parents, other adults,
community groups, businesses, schools, and social and health
services, the FBI focuses its community outreach efforts in three areas:
the community, the schools, and the workplace.
Since April 2000, the following programs
have been implemented within FBI Chicago's COP:
~ Adopt-A-School Program
~ Speaker's Bureau
~ Division Tours
~ Identity Theft Public Awareness Program
~ "Take our Children to Work Day"
~ Combined Federal Campaign
~ Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metropolitan Chicago
~ Operation Shining Star Event
~ International Visitor's Program
~ Cultural Diversity Program
~ Terrorism Prevention Program
~ American Football Coaches Association
Operation Shining Star 2002
Operation Shining Star is a federal/state/local law enforcement
interagency holiday event. Last year, the following agencies
participated in the event, which was held on Wednesday, December 11,
2002: FBI; US Secret Service; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco &
Firearms; Bureau of Immigration & Customs Enforcement; Drug
Enforcement Administration; Transportation Security Administration;
Chicago Police Department; Morton Grove Police Department; Illinois State
Police; Chicago Park District.
Adopt-A-School Program
Junior Special Agent Program
The Adopt-A-School Program initiative is part of the FBI's COP, which
includes the Junior Special Agent Program (JSAP). The mission of the
JSAP is for the FBI to provide positive law enforcement role models who
will encourage students to excel in school performance and attendance,
build their self-esteem, and teach them how to abstain from crime, drugs,
gangs, and violence.
FBI Chicago is in the process of developing
a JSAP at Universal School, Bridgeview, Illinois. Universal School
is a suburban Arab-Muslim parochial school. The JSAP for the
2003-2004 school year will begin in October.
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Director's Community Leadership Award
2002
The recipient of the Director's Community Leadership Award 2002 was
Kareem M. Irfan, Esq., President, Council of Islamic Organizations of
Greater Chicago. Mr. Irfan was nominated by SAC Thomas J. Kneir.
SAC Kneir presented the award to Mr. Irfan in February 2003 during
Averroes Academy's Fourth Annual Fund-Raising Dinner, which was held in
Mount Prospect, Illinois. |
Black Affairs Program (BAP) Committee
Fifth Annual Law Enforcement Gala
The Fifth Annual Law Enforcement Black-Tie Gala was held on Saturday,
March 1, 2003, at Ashton Place, Willowbrook, Illinois. This year's
theme was "As we Rise After 9/11."
The gala included a five-course dinner, a
live band, a disc jockey, a magician, and an awards program. Net
proceeds were equally divided between the Marie Shelter, the Tom Joyner
9/11 Relief Fund, and Crispus Attacks Elementary School.
One of the highlights of the evening was
the recognition of the five African-American Chicago Fire Department's
firefighters who volunteered, on their own time, for rescue efforts in New
York City after the 9/11 tragedy. One of the firefighters, Quenton
Curtis, is shown below with ASAC John G. Raucci, FBI Chicago. Also
shown are members of the BAP Committee.
Unlock your Potential Career Conference
Several FBI Chicago employees attended an all-day conference sponsored
by the Women in Government Mentoring Council and the Chicago Federal
Executive Board on March 12, 2003 for Women's History Month. The
keynote speaker for the event was Kathleen L. McChesney, former FBI
Chicago SAC. Ms. McChesney currently is the Executive Director of
the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' Office of Child and Youth
Protection in Washington, DC.
Citizens' Academy
FBI Chicago hosted its first Citizens' Academy in June 2003. The
overall purpose of the academy was to establish and foster relationships
and understanding between FBI Chicago and its community. The academy
gave business, civic, religious, and community leaders, as well as media
executives, the opportunity to find out how the FBI "does
business." On Friday, June 27, 2003, after having the
opportunity to shoot at our FBI Training Facility and a picnic luncheon,
27 participants graduated.
Career Days/Career Fairs
Community Outreach Specialist Birdella Braden and FBI Agents are
available to attend school career days/career fairs in the Chicago
metropolitan area. To request a speaker on a variety of
subjects to students at the elementary or high school level or to speak at
a college or professional school, please send a request on official
letterhead to FBI Chicago's COS, Birdella C.
Braden at FBI Chicago,
attention Community Outreach Program.
Division Tours
Due to the tragic events of September 11, 2001, office tours for
elementary and high school students, as well as youth groups, have been
discontinued. There are no exceptions!
For More Information
FBI Chicago's Community Outreach Coordinator, Birdella C. Braden, can
be contacted at (312) 786-2689 (office), (312) 786-2525 (fax), or in
writing at FBI Chicago,
attention Community Outreach Program. Additional information about
this program also is available at the FBI's Community
Outreach Program site.
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