I am the founder, Chairman of the Board, President, and instructor for the organization. Many of you remember me as Officer Graham or Officer Jeff from the Perrysburg Police Division. I served as a Perrysburg Police Officer for almost 12 years, with 10 of those years teaching in the schools and in the community. I brought many safety programs to Perrysburg while serving as a Perrysburg Police Officer. The two of the programs that I was most proud of starting was Hooked on Fishing Not on Drugs and R.A.D. (Rape Aggression Defense). I also expanded the D.A.R.E. Program into more grades than it had ever been before. I loved every moment of my days teaching in the schools and community.
Unfortunately the Perrysburg Police Division went through many changes in my last few years working there and I saw most of the programs I loved come to an end. Along with these changes within the police division, Chief Gilts removed me from the safety programs and put back on patrol duties. I liked being a police officer but loved teaching. For this reason I started the Citizens of Perrysburg Safety Education. The organization allowed me to keep teaching in the schools. During my first year teaching for the organization I was on midnight shift at the police division. I would work from 11:00 pm to 7:00 am and then go to the schools at 7:30 am and teach until 2 or 3:00 pm. I would sleep when I could, but my health began to become affected. I also found myself having many conflicts at work over my continued teaching and it soon became an unfriendly environment. For my health, because of the escalating conflicts at work over my teaching, but mainly for my passion to keep children safe I resigned from the Perrysburg Police Division. This allowed me to expand the programs even more.
In the first five years I was able to bring back Halloween Safety in first grade, Hooked On Fishing Not On Drugs in forth grade, C.O.P.S. Education in 6th grade, 7th grade, and 8th grade. Along with these programs I conduct safety classes in whatever grade and school that requests it. I have taught classes on stranger danger, home alone, 911, what to do if you get lost, and bullying. I have continued to assist the junior high school by attending 6th grade camp, which became my 37th and 36th week of camp since 1997. I have also began a Sexual Assault Awareness class for the Perrysburg High School students which I will try to expand. In 2009 I branched out into Rossford Schools and became their D.A.R.E. Officer. I also became the D.A.R.E. Officer for Anthony Wayne Schools and Swanton Schools
I truely believe that these programs are as important as science and math in our children's lives. I also believe that all of these programs are beneficial and essential in keeping our kids safe, no matter what the critics say. Since I founded the program in 2006 I have taught more than 4000 students safety programs, attended many social functions, participated in school events, had many lunches in the school, assisted the schools with disciplinary issues, and attended 6th grade camp. These are all things that I believe in and will continue to do as long as I can. Hopefully we can all do this together. Please check out the "how you can help" section of this website to see how you can be a part of these efforts. Thank you for all of your support and feel free to contact me if you have any question or want to help. My number is 419-654-0944 and I can be reached 24 hours a day/seven days a week.