Officer Phil a hit at local elementary schools
Mike Eakins, who acts as Officer Phil in the Officer Phil Program, speaks to a group of students recently. Creative Safety Products brings the Officer Phil program to elementary schools in the California Area School District each year.
Mike Eakins and Lucky Duck from the Officer Phil Program speak to students about stranger danger, the negative effects of bullying, fire safety, and feeling safe in schools to students every year in the California Area School District.
Getting children comfortable in the presence of law enforcement is a priority for the California Borough police department.
Police Chief Rick Encapera said he knows the importance of having that comfort level, after seeing how engaged local elementary students are with an annual presentation known as Officer Phil.
Creative Safety Products in Pittsburgh brought the Officer Phil program to kindergarten through fourth grade students in the California Area School District Friday. Each year the program aims to teach children about a variety of topics such as stranger danger, the negative effects of bullying, fire safety, and respect for authority figures.
“It starts them on a positive note with police, and we develop good rapport through them,” Encapera said. “It makes them aware of all the things they can do that can hurt them and also make them aware that if they need to approach us, feel free to come and approach us.”
For students at Calvary Chapel Christian School in Fredericktown, the presentation taught them just that, principal Beckie Cannon said.
“It reminds us of our need to have a police force in our community for protection,” Cannon said.
“Many students are afraid of the police, but then they learn they aren’t so scary.”
In light of recent school tragedies, the presentation focused on students feeling safe in school as well, according to Gayle Haresign, sales director with Creative Safety Products.
“It reassures them,” Haresign said. “They should feel safe at school, they should feel safe at home, and they should feel safe in the community. It does give them a lot of reassurance because a lot of times, they won’t bring up those things if they are frightened.”
Joining Officer Phil was a new character known as Lucky Duck. While Officer Phil sang and acted as a ventriloquist, the students are engaged each year, Encapera said. Such was the case at California Area Elementary School.
“It’s a fun and humorous way to get across various safety concerns, so that the kids understand what it takes to be safe,” said principal Michael Sears. “(Officer Phil) just promotes safety at the kids’ level through his program and the kids respond well.”
Students at Calvary Chapel Christian School were just as enthralled with the puppet Lucky Duck and the presentation, Cannon said.
“We love Officer Phil,” Cannon said. “We have him every year. The students love his presentation. The kindergarten students talked about it for three days and requoted him and imitated him.”
Using puppets makes the environment less intimidating to students, Haresign said.
“Giving them this message and it’s coming from the puppet, that’s something that the kids can relate to,” Haresign said. “They feel more comfortable because it’s not coming from an adult and they are not watching something horrific on TV.”
And if the students are more comfortable, then it’s worthwhile, Encapera said.
“They do a wonderful job, and honestly I look forward to going to the presentation,” Encapera said last week. “We make them aware that we are there for them.”