Officer, children socialize at park
When Uniontown police Patrolman John Kauer first arrived at Grant Street Park in the city on Friday, dozens of children looked at the officer in full uniform and reacted with apprehension. By the time the five-year veteran of the police department left the renovated playground, dozens of children were surrounding him, trying out everything from his handcuffs to his police radio.
Kauer was just a small part of the activities at the park Friday as children from around the city came out for a day of free food and games under the direction of park employee Andi Daniels.
“We just want to get the kids out here to have some fun,” Daniels said. “We have been doing something every week this summer.”
And this week, Daniels said she asked city police officers to come out to talk to the children in a relaxed setting.
“We wanted to have the police come so that, hopefully, these kids will have their first experience with a police officer be a positive one,” Daniels said.
“What events like this do is give us the chance to meet people in a non-confrontational environment,” Kauer said. “It will help the kids’ perspective of police and it is good for us to just be able to talk to the people. Then, down the line, they know they can trust you or at least talk to you.”
Kauer said it’s important to develop good rapport with area youth.
“Our job is not over when we haul mom or dad out of the house after a fight,” Kauer said. “We have to go back in and talk to the kids and let them know that their mom or dad is going to be OK and that they are going to be OK, too.
“Coming out here makes you more compassionate to people’s needs. Your life becomes so blessed by doing stuff like this.”
Kauer cuffed and un-cuffed child after child who was fascinated by his police tools, and talked to the kids about staying out of trouble.
“See, when I first got here, they didn’t really want anything to do with me because of what they think about cops,” Kauer said. “That is what we need to work to change. We want to help. I want them to know that I am always going to treat them fair and look out for them.”
While Kauer showed the children how to use a telescopic police baton and talked about how pepper spray works, other community volunteers worked making snow cones and serving food as a volunteer referee tried to keep order on the basketball court as teams battled on the asphalt.
City firefighter Scott Conn brought the city’s aerial fire truck to the park and gave kids a ride in the bucket on the aerial ladder.
Park employee Brian Grady, 15, of Uniontown worked painting positive graffiti on a wall at the park and talked about why he wants to maintain the small park in the middle of the city.
“I think it is good for our community,” Grady said. “It is something for the kids to come together and be able to play in a safe environment.”
Daniels said area youth need things like the parks and even a new recreation center to help them stay busy and out of trouble.
And Kauer agreed.
“What these kids have done is take this park and made it their own,” Kauer said. “They maintain it as much as anyone. They pick up trash and keep it nice. Often they want to have fun and stay out of trouble. When I began on the force, this park was a mess and I was picking up transients and people doing and selling drugs all the time. Now it is one of the nicest in the city because of the community effort.”