Youth Safety Patrol Programs in the Washington, DC, Metropolitan Area

There are hundreds of youth development programs in the greater Washington, DC, metro area, including the cities of Washington, DC, as well as Bethesda, Frederick, Gaithersburg, Rockville, Alexandria, Arlington, and Reston within the states of Maryland and Virginia. These programs include Boys and Girls Clubs, adult/child mentoring programs, and Scouting organizations. This chapter explores a variety of school safety patrol organizations as these directly include activities involving public safety. It focuses on the school safety patrols in the greater Washington, DC, area and the annual AAA School Safety Patrol parades. Major historical events are included to provide a context to the time periods considered. Participation in school safety enables children to learn about: responsibility for self and others; the meaning of tolerance; ways to improve social skills; and how to be a better problem solver.