Quincy Police Lieutenant Daniel Minton, Head of the Crime Prevention Unit and the Anti-Crime Unit, encourages students at Eastern Nazarene College (ENC) to attend the upcoming women’s self-defense class at the Sons of Italy on November 27th and 28th, from 6:00 P.M. to 8:30 P.M.

This free program, which is only for females, has one requirement: to attend both nights. The class requires this because it is a progressive learning program. There is no exam and no one is required to do anything that they do not feel comfortable with. The first night involves learning strikes, blocks, and blows, and the second night provides an opportunity to test your skills against an “attacker.”  The program is described as fun by past students and it is always recommended that you “Bring a friend – It’s more fun!” Eastern Nazarene College has hosted the program in past years, and the police department hopes to run a class here in April.

The instructors stress using your voice to yell for help while simultaneously defending yourself.  This highly rated program educates students to be more aware of their surroundings so that they do not get into vulnerable situations, and from there, physical skills are enhanced to ward off an offender. Part of the course also includes scenarios and options to get away safely. Lieutenant Minton states that Quincy is a very safe place; in fact, he lives about a block away from the college.  His three college-age daughters have taken the course. If they came across a bad situation, he is confident they would know how to react.

The phrase, “See something –say something” is very popular and the Lieutenant supports this mentality. He urges people to report any suspicious behavior to the Police right away by calling 911. This reaction is important because while you may see the potential criminal lurking behind a bush and avoid a confrontation, your fellow student could be the next victim. He states that often times, people do not want to call the Police for fear that they could get in trouble if it turns out to be nothing. However, he ensures that is not the case.

“You won’t get penalized for helping your local Police check into suspicious behavior. Suspects look for the Police but don’t realize that the public may have an eye on them.”

The Quincy Police Crime Prevention Unit also offers a pepper spray class, and it is free to all 18 years or over. The department is very dedicated to outreach programs within the community. They have public safety seminars throughout the city for citizens of all ages and often bring translators for Quincy’s Asian speaking population. The department does child fingerprinting, child car seat installations, and something that you do not see many Police departments offer – blood drives! They also present the annual high school pre-prom seminar to warn students of the dangers connected to drug and alcohol use. The program has been so successful that no student has been in an accident or hospitalized on prom night since its origin in 2005.

Minton is the college liaison and used the college library as he pursued his graduate degrees in Social Work and Police Administration. When asking how God influences his life, Lt. Minton says that he is guided by God personally and professionally, which provides a passion for helping people in a compassionate way. He said that it is not an easy job for many officers nationwide, especially now.  In closing, he explained that he knows how hard it can be for students to leave their family and home to come to college, and he is always available to help.

To sign up for the courses or get in contact, email “dminton@quincyma.gov” or call Minton at 617-745-5719.