December 5, 2010 – Responding to incidents of bullying – many resulting in the death of a child – has inspired Marina City’s beat cop to start a new website to advocate for bullied children.

Karen Wojcikowski, one of two officers assigned to the police beat that includes Marina City, has launched “The Bully Police Squad” to increase public awareness and help children, parents, and teachers affected by bullying and social cruelty.

“Children exposed to violence, either at home or at school, they often suffer long-term problems like anxiety or depression,” says Wojcikowski (left), who has served 14 years with the Chicago Police Department. “And sometimes it leads into…post-traumatic stress. They have a tendency of getting into self-destructive behaviors, too.”

The National Education Association estimates that each day, 160,000 children in the U.S. miss school as a result of bullying. Wojcikowski and other police officers are likely to cross paths with a former bully, as six out of ten children identified as bullies in middle school are convicted of a crime by age 24.

Wojcikowski says it is important for educators to document incidents of bullying. And the best time to reach kids is elementary school because “by the time they get to high school they already have their social cliques established.”

In addition to the website, Wojcikowski will speak at community events. She hopes to also establish a national hotline for bullying victims and their parents.

 Web site: The Bully Police Squad