On Thursday night, a representative for the New York Police Department met with the CCIP J-1 interns (www.theccip.com) to give the new arrivals tips on how to best stay safe while living in the city. The group of exchange visitors are living in Queens and interning with organizations all across New York City.

Since the program's inception, the NYPD has supported CCIP in ensuring the safety of the participants. Led by Officer Mark Burger, the safety talk provided tips on how to navigate the city without being a victim of crime or injury. The talk included a list of dos and don'ts and recommendations for how to protect personal belongings.

"I'm really thankful to Officer Burger for speaking with us," said one student. "New York is intimidating, but the safety talk helped calm my nerves and made me excited to explore."

Officer Burger serves with the 109th precinct, which includes the portion of Flushing where the CCIP interns are living for the summer. In June, first-session interns were invited to a barbecue hosted by the 109th Precinct Community Council.