For Immediate Release: Decatur Township School Police to Host 2nd Annual S.A.F.E. Program

(March 9, 2026) INDIANAPOLIS – The MSD of Decatur Township announced that the Decatur Township School Police will host the 2nd Annual S.A.F.E. training program on Wednesday, March 11, 2026, for female juniors and seniors at Decatur Central High School and Decatur Township School for Excellence.

The S.A.F.E. Program (Situational Awareness for Everyday) was created by Julie Q. Smith, Director of the Indiana Office of School Safety, and is designed to equip young women with practical skills to help them safely navigate real-world situations. The training focuses on situational awareness, personal safety strategies, and trusting one’s instincts.

“Student safety is always our top priority,” said Superintendent Dr. Scott Collins. “As the father of two girls, I’m especially grateful for programs like S.A.F.E. that help equip our students with the awareness, confidence, and skills to protect themselves. While we hope they never need to rely on this training, it’s important they feel prepared.”

 

The day-long program includes interactive seminars on self-defense, assertiveness, and recognizing warning signals, along with hands-on defensive tactics and scenario-based exercises. Instruction is led by Decatur Township School Police Chief Terance Smith and officers Tabetha Emenaker, Dennis Scott, and Tea’wanda Wrespress. We are also proud to host Director of the Indiana Office of School Safety, Julie Q. Smith, to lead instruction as well.

Decatur Township is also proud to host representatives from several school, local, and state law enforcement agencies from across Indiana, who are observing the training to learn more about the program and its impact. “After seeing the positive impact of the program last year, continuing S.A.F.E. training for our students and sharing with our colleagues in other school districts remain priorities,” said Chief Smith. “Our goal is for young women to leave feeling empowered, confident, and equipped with tools to help maintain their personal safety.”

Please reach out to Emily LeMay (contact below) to visit the program.

Photos available after the training upon request.

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About MSD Decatur Township

The MSD of Decatur Township is student invested, community connected. Decatur Township prioritizes student learning, safety and customer service, fostering a support system for our families. Located on the southwest side of Indianapolis, Decatur Township is proud to serve thousands of elementary, middle, and high school students and families. The district vision is Preparing Students to be Tomorrow Ready. Together, we are DECATUR PROUD! Learn more at www.decaturproud.org. 

 

MEDIA CONTACT:

Emily LeMay, Director of Student & Family Engagement 

MSD of Decatur Township

elemay@decaturproud.org 317-856-5265