Young children spent the first day of Safety Town, held at Newtown Youth & Family Services (NYFS) on July 17, learning lessons from Newtown Police Youth Officer William Chapman.newtownyouthandfamilyservices.org

After students asked a range of questions, like how police respond to different situations and what types of tools police officers use, Officer Chapman took groups of the children to learn about a police vehicle.

Officer Chapman also taught the students about "stop and go" traffic signals as they walked in a game toward the vehicle, parked across the parking lot. When Office Chapman held up his hand to go, the students walked: When he motioned for them to stop, the students stopped.

Once across the parking lot, Office Chapman had the students inspect the police vehicle, and one by one students climbed inside.

Michael Dogali was the first to climb in the vehicle's front seat. Officer Chapman showed Michael how to use the vehicle's radio microphone.

"I love Safety Town!" Michael said over the microphone. Students could hear him from the other side of the parking lot.

Safety Town is sponsored by Newtown Prevention Council, AAA Southern New England, and Women Involved in Newtown. Safety Town teachers children about traffic safety, fire safety, water safety, bus safety, bicycle safety, awareness of medicine and poison, and awareness of strangers, according to NYFS.

This summer Safety Town is being offered in three sessions. The first session ran from July 17 to 21. The second session runs from July 24 to 28 and the third session runs from July 31 to August 4. The program runs from 9 am until noon. Cost for the five-day program is $80 per child, which includes a snack, and financial assistance is available, according to NYFS.

or call 203-270-4335.To register a child/children for the program go online to