CPD stays busy with community outreach efforts

Ice cream is a traditional summer treat, and no one knows that better than Canton Police Chief Kenneth Berkowitz.

“Everybody likes free ice cream,” he said.

Chief Berkowitz, Brian C. (wearing the chief’s hat) and Officer Tim Taylor

The chief and several officers delivered the cold treat to the Arthur Pappas Rehabilitation Hospital for Children, formerly the Massachusetts Hospital School, last Wednesday evening as part of the “Chillin’ with the Chief” summer program. The officers drove to the large open-air pavilion at the back of the school’s campus in squad cars, a SWAT vehicle and on motorcycle, all with lights flashing. The SWAT vehicle was provided by MetroLEC, a regional law enforcement consortium that supports 50 area communities.

Last week’s event was attended by dozens of Pappas students, who interacted with the officers while enjoying cups of ice cream. Chief Berkowitz launched the program last summer and has visited several locations in town, including the Cedarcrest Road, Pequit Street, and Windsor Woods neighborhoods. When a woman asked that he stop by her home on Neponset Street, he obliged, showing up with enough ice cream for the 40 to 50 people who gathered on the property.

“The neighborhoods embrace it. We do a lot of work behind the scenes,” Berkowitz said of the department and his officers. “We have a strong presence in the community.”

In addition to spending Wednesday evenings sharing dessert with families and children, the CPD has also teamed with Canton High School to host open gym nights throughout the summer for Canton teens.

“We supplied officers,” Berkowitz explained. “The kids like it. We like it. It’s a drug- and alcohol-free place for kids to go.”

The CPD worked with CHS administrative assistant Heather Sullivan and Principal Derek Folan so that the gym was open for young people on Tuesday and Thursday evenings. Berkowitz estimated that on a recent open gym night, 30 to 40 teenagers played volleyball while another 25 played basketball.

During the school year, the CPD maintains a presence in the schools through its school resource officer program, with SROs assigned to CHS, the Galvin Middle School, and Blue Hills Regional Technical School and adopt-a-school officers at each of the three elementary schools. Officer Tim Taylor is the resource officer at the Pappas Rehabilitation Hospital, which provides medical, rehabilitative and educational services to children and young adults with multiple disabilities.

As the department’s community liaison officer, Taylor works closely with various community groups, including young campers at the Parks and Recreation Department’s summer Blast-Off program as well as senior citizens and those with disabilities. He is a frequent guest speaker and has given presentations on topics such as ID theft, scam awareness, and internet safety.

Taylor is also responsible for the CPD’s Citizens’ Academy and oversees the department’s crossing guards, ensuring that each is cleared for duty and properly outfitted with uniforms and equipment.

At Pappas, Taylor checks in with students through both casual drop-in visits and classes that he teaches. He has gone on several ski trips with the students and has spent many lunch and dinner breaks with them.

The classes are co-taught with Pappas social worker Janet LaBelle and are geared toward the older students, who transition out of the school at the age of 23. Taylor talks with them about what to do if an underage student asks them to purchase alcohol, as well as how to focus on personal safety and handle money. The students spend two class periods together talking about potential situations. During the third class, Taylor and LaBelle have them role play. Students who complete the classes are then treated to a tour of the Canton police station. They enter through the garage bay and learn about equipment before moving on to the cellblock and dispatch desk. The visit ends with a pizza party lunch with the chief.

No matter the group with whom Taylor is working, he has the same message for everyone who needs help. “If I don’t have an answer,” he said, “I can put them in touch with the proper people to find an answer.”

Also making an appearance at last week’s Chillin’ with the Chief event was CPD Officer Bob Zepf and the department’s newest K-9, Dunkin. A puppy when he joined the department, Dunkin is now fully trained to detect narcotics following 12 weeks of training at a Department of Corrections facility in Bridgewater that ended June 1.

“He’s doing fantastic,” Zepf said of Dunkin. “He can do building searches, vehicle searches, area searches, people searches — all for drugs.”

Dunkin has successfully found drugs in a public school, at a prison for women, and during a vehicle stop and search warrant execution, both in Canton. Zepf continues to socialize Dunkin. “We walk the square,” he said.

As the evening continued, students from Pappas viewed the squad cars and SWAT vehicle, and some of them spent time in the vehicles, learning about the equipment the officers use and enjoying the visit from the CPD.

“I like the fact that I know that these guys are able to help us out and keep us safe. Safety is the most important thing,” Christine said. “I like hanging around with the dog.”

Brian was very succinct about what he liked about Chillin’ with the Chief. First, the police officers. “They’re fun,” he said. When asked if he liked anything else, he added, “The ice cream and their cars.”

Canton Police Detective Chip Yeaton and Officer Glen Nix, along with Dedham Police Sgt. Mike Buckley, also attended Wednesday’s event.

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Posted by Mary Ann Price on Sep 2 2016. Filed under News, Police & Fire. Both comments and pings are currently closed.