Syracuse Police in 2009 St. Patrick's Parade

Syracuse Police march along the parade route.

Syracuse Police march near Clinton Square.

(With apologies for the video quality.)

Be sure to check our Flickr site for more photos from the Syracuse St. Patrick's Parade 2009!

Syracuse St. Patrick's Day Parade Tomorrow

Tomorrow, Saturday, 14th March, is the Annual St. Patrick's Day Parade. The Parade begins at noon with the route starting at S. Salina St. and Erie Blvd West, ending on S. Salina St. and W. Onondaga St.

Looks like tomorrow will be a nice day (sunny 43-46 degrees), not bad when compared to some of the past years. So, get your families out for a fun time and enjoy the parade.

The Syracuse Police Department will be towards the very front of the parade. I plan to march in the parade tomorrow. If you are on the west side of S. Salina St. be sure to give a shout out if you see me pass. 

More importantly, give a loud shout out to all the police and fire fighters as they march past. We are fortunate to live in a community with some truly dedicated public servants. Be sure to let them all know you appreciate them by giving a loud shout out as they pass. 

Hope to see you there.

Officer Clarke

Police Center Christmas Party

First, I would like to thank all of our many donors and volunteers who made the Christmas Party possible. Without you, we would not be able to reach so, many families. Thank you, for your generous support and hard work.

The winter storm arrived early in the morning as predicted the day of our party. Not only did it throw me off schedule (snow removal needs for the party) but I was well aware it would be an added burden to the families who travel to the Police Center by foot. More than half of the 800+ children who arrived here, walked, were carried or pushed in a stroller. Many, making the journey wearing only sneakers or shoes and with out hats or gloves. The snow caused many of the families scheduled in the morning to wait until afternoon before arriving at the party. This caused the party to run a little longer and the last 3 hours to be very crowded.

We anticipated the change from Polaroid Photos to digital photos would be challenging. The convenience of instantly handing a Polaroid to the family vs taking a digital photo, printing the photos and then reuniting the photo with the correct family was truly missed this year. Our newly, donated, A826 printer worked well all day, running non-stop 11am-6pm. However, our other two all in one printers suffered from paper jams and other technical problems through out the day slowing the printing process to a crawl at times. All day long there was a large swarm of people surrounding my printing volunteers awaiting their photos. Many families left planning to return to the Center another day to pick up their photos. Surely, we will have to work on how we manage family photos at our future events. It may require another A826 or two in order to manage our high volume of photos effectively.

Now that you have read about the challenges of a stormy day Children's Christmas Party, let me share some of the joyful stories. This year we had more volunteers than ever before. Many of our regular faithful volunteers were there to help along with lots of new folks. Having volunteers contact me in advance allowed me to work out a scheduling system I hope to refine even more for next year. Thank you, volunteers : )

Once families arrived at the Police Center they were placed in a line to see Santa, receive a gift, family photo, stuffed animal and a toothbrush. Then parents would sit in chairs through out the room while their children sat on the floor and opened their gifts. Families were treated to numerous snacks and drinks while visiting the Police Center. The Jackman Brothers preformed a magic show for the children. Child Safety IDs were also available to families who wanted them. A volunteer from Florida who assisted us with the party last year brought bags full of hats and mittens this year. She and another friend from Florida walked around putting hats and mittens on children who needed them. We served over 800 children along with their parents.

During the Christmas Party I was busy with many things to ensure the party was going smoothly (especially, the photo printing) and did not capture all the special moments happening around me. I don't like it much when I get too distracted from the children and miss those moments. I was still printing out the photos with Santa after the party, when everyone else had left. As I sat and viewed those photos I saw many beautiful smiles on so many children's faces. As I sat at my desk looking at each family photo, reminiscing about the day, my heart was warmed by the thoughts of how much joy we brought to each of these families. Thank you to all who make our party a success.

Officer Clarke

Giving Thanks

A volunteer wraps a gift for a needy child.

In spite of the economy I have a lot to be thankful for, especially my time spent with area families, my family and all of you who lend support to what we do.  I am grateful to all those who made it possible for us to hold our Halloween events. It seems like we just packed away those decorations and we’re already bringing our Christmas items up from the basement.

The Christmas Party is planned for Sunday December 21^st, 11:00am-6:00pm.  Already, the phone has been ringing with families wishing to sign up. Sign ups begin the day after Thanksgiving.

I’m a little anxious about finding the resources required to host a party that each year serves 1,000 children.  These tough times cause us to thoughtfully consider where we spend our money. For some, the thought of giving even a small portion of income to assist people outside of their own family is out of the question.  Others feel giving to people in greater need is a commitment which they keep even in difficult times. 

For more than 15 years, I have been able to provide programming for area youth that builds healthier relationships between the community and the Police Department.  A recent survey of families who have attended our programs, conducted by an SU student, testifies to this fact.  I didn’t need data to tell me this. I’ve witnessed it firsthand.  But I am grateful for the data to convince those who need more evidence that what we do makes a difference.

I could never say enough that I could not do this without you.  Some of you have been helping us from the beginning.  Others have joined in along the way. Together we’ve been making a difference in the lives of numerous children and families.  Your support over the years has given me the privilege of joining literally hundreds of families and thousands of children during some of their most joyous times. Not only did you give them wonderful memories, you gave them to me also. Who could ask for more out of life than that?  Each event, each family and each child that has walked through our door has been a treasure to me. Thank you for making this possible.

Over the years we have sometimes added or dropped programs temporally according to our finances. This year is the first time I considered dropping one of our main holiday events, the Pumpkin Carving Party.  Thankfully, some of you stepped up in big ways to ensure we had the things we needed to hold the event. I believe our total of pumpkins carved was 336 pumpkins.  That was not enough.  We ran out.

The Annual Children’s Christmas Party is our biggest event. The number of children who attend during a good economic year is around 1,000. I wonder how many more we may see this year in this difficult economy?

To make it possible, we need donations of funds and goods, as well as volunteer labor.  At the top of the list are gifts for children of various ages, from a few months old to teens.  However, we also need:  Wrapping paper, name tags (self-stick), tape, snacks, drinks, coffee, cups, paper plates, napkins, paper towels, toilet paper, hand soap, trash bags, ink cartridges & photo paper (3 x 5 or 4 x 6). 

Since Polaroid film is no longer being made, we don’t know how we will manage the photos with Santa this year. When you multiply the cost by 1,000, expenses quickly add up.  Digital is much less expensive, but it’s a little more involved.  We have found that a small but quick photo printer would help.  It costs between $90-125.  We may add that to our letter to Santa, since it will meet the demand for quick portable printing of digital photos at this event and others.  Donations of any of these items or monetary donations to help us purchase them will help make this event possible.  

In addition, we need volunteers to help prepare for the party and on the day of the event as follows:   

GIFT WRAPPING:  On two separate evenings during the week before the party, we need help bringing gifts to Senior Centers, and coordinating the wrapping of gifts: 

• One night (TBA) from 6:00pm-9:00pm at Salina School Apartments.
• A second night from 6:00pm-9pm at Franklin Square Apartments

PARTY:  On the day of the party, volunteers are needed to help sign families in, serve food, wrap gifts, take photos with Santa, print the photos, give out gifts, answer the phone, clean up, etc.  If you can help, please call (315)471-3257.  We encourage you to sign up in advance. The length of the party requires us to offer shifts and rotate assignments. Please call me before the party to review your assignment. 

Thank you to all who share in the Christmas spirit by giving of yourselves.  Those who know they’ve been blessed and have things to be thankful for, pay it forward.

Wishing you a happy holiday season,

Officer Clarke 

Pumpkin Carving Party

More photos from the Pumpkin Carving Party are posted and can be seen here.

Over 300 pumpkins received ambush makeovers on Thursday night at the Pumpkin Carving Party.

For the first time ever, we ran out of pumpkins and had to go out and get more. It wasn't easy finding them, and we sure didn't get the price break that we received by picking our own in Hafner's patch.

There were so many people in attendance, all the tables were constantly full. To accommodate the crowds, we seated some people at the desks in the office area. Yet the line remained out the door for part of the evening as we checked people in and they waited for a seat. This was a first for this event, and it presents a challenge for next year.

All ages participated. Parents and volunteers helped the small children carve fun and scary faces into their pumpkins using special tools and templates. Seeds and pumpkin goo were put in bowls, but invariably ended up everywhere.

One of our volunteers made what has become our favorite chili, which was served along with other soups and stews. The student volunteers from Syracuse University provided extra manpower that was needed to help serve the crowd. They stayed to the end, helped with clean-up and promised to return again to give us a hand. We're thrilled about that. A few donors also stopped by with some items that we count on.

Don't forget, the Halloween Safety Center is at the Police Center tonight, October 31, from 5-9pm. We will check candy and serve cider, donuts and other refreshments.

Everyone is invited to stop by, whether you're out trick-or-treating or not. We always enjoy having visitors.

Halloween Events

Renee gathers pumpkins (left) while Officer Clark loads them into the truck (right).

Thank you to all the folks who sent donations for our Halloween activities.

We held the Pumpkin Picking Trip. The Pumpkin Carving Party will take place tomorrow at 5:00 pm. We eliminated the Haunted Hayride.

Monday after school, we took as many children as we could transport in three vehicles to pick pumpkins. We traveled to Hafner's on Route 370 in Baldwinsville and loaded two pickup trucks full of pumpkins (a little over 200). They give us a discount every year that we greatly appreciate.

I always get a kick out of the children. I pull into the middle of the patch where we're surrounded by pumpkins. But the children always run 100 yards away to find their own. We were there until dark getting all of the pumpkins loaded.

Since then, we have been working hard to prepare for our party. The Center is decorated for Halloween, tables are set up with pumpkins on them and we have more stashed in the corner for the 200 plus attendees we're expecting.

Volunteers will help us put this event on. This year, a group of students from Syracuse University will be volunteering alongside others who have helped for years. This new volunteer connection was made through the contacts we've cultivated at SU. Also, one of our interns will be bringing some of her cohorts from a group she belongs to on campus.

It's a pretty big chore managing all the people at this party. It's become a very popular event that involves the kids in a hands on activity where they need helpers and supervision. Plus we're preparing and serving food. I will be happy for all of the extra help.

The party starts at 5:00 PM. We will be serving stews, soups, chili and fresh bread from a local bakery. Children will sit at tables and carve their own pumpkin. When they leave, they will receive a McGruff Trick or Treat bag with coloring book, crayons and candy. Bring your family down and enjoy this fun filled event.

We will be hosting a Halloween Safety Center on Friday night, where we check children's candy. Tomorrow at noon, I will be with WSTM Channel 3 doing a live news segment on Safety Centers. I prefer the prerecorded ones because they can edit my mistakes.

At this time, we're in need of more candy donations. At the Safety Center, we like to replace any candy that doesn't pass inspection. If you can help, please call us at (315)471-3257 or stop in to the Center at 255 Wolf Street.

Please check our website for pictures of these events.

Happy Halloween.

Officer Clarke

October Letter to Supporters

Dear Supporter, 

It’s hard to believe fall is already here.  There are many good things going on at the Police Center. 

As regular readers and subscribers to our blog already know, two student interns from Syracuse University are working with us on several projects.  Shana is starting an after school homework/tutoring program for area children.  Stephen is conducting a mail survey of over 400 participants in our events. Already, sixty six completed surveys have come back. We will be sharing the results of the survey on the blog.  

By the way, please subscribe to the blog if you haven't already done so.  You can have updates come to your email automatically, or use a reader to check out our notices.  It saves us money and serves you better.  Head to www.northsidepolice.com and click on the links to subscribe (or follow these instructions). 

So many good things are happening at the Center that it's tough to talk about what's not so good.  We find ourselves in a position where we can't commit to events until donations are received.  At this writing, we do not have funds for the Pumpkin Carving and Christmas Parties.  Things were tough enough for us with the impact of soaring gas prices.  Now with the other pressures on the economy, we're concerned that donations will remain down.

If there is ever a time that I can understand the temptation to keep rather than to give, it's now. Last Sunday, our associate pastor announced an opportunity to give $20 towards a program to provide school clothing and supplies to families in Sabine Pass who were recently impacted by Hurricane Ike.  He held up yellow construction paper cut out to look like little boys and girls, and invited anyone who wished to donate to write words of encouragement on the back of a cut out.   

As I exited the sanctuary, I saw the pastor standing off to the side of the Welcome Center, ready to receive the donations.  I walked past him and others who stopped to make a donation.  I thought to myself that I already placed a check in the donation plate.  Plus, I left my wallet in the console of the car.  Those were good enough excuses, I thought, as I sipped my coffee and waited while the pastor began a brief dedication of our newly renovated Welcome Center. 

While enjoying my coffee, I began to think how fortunate we were to have this nice big Welcome Center with lots of space for Sunday School rooms and offices. I also thought about how blessed I am, with ample clothing, plenty of food, electricity and a roof over my head.  The Sabine Pass children and families were without the basic things I take for granted. 

I quickly exited the building, retrieved my wallet from the car and gave a donation to someone who certainly could use it more than me. Yes, these are tough times. It’s easy for me to dwell on how much the economy has strained my budget. Plainly, I can not afford the things I could a year ago.  But my basic needs are met, while that family is going without.  That $20 will see a far greater use to the family it reaches than had it stayed with me. 

Please remember there are many families in our community with greater needs than ours. During these tough times they need our support more than ever. It doesn’t matter if it’s small local organizations like us, or others. The organizations you have supported during good economic times will have more people turning to them for help when there's a downturn.  We need your continued support during these tough times. 

Since funds are dangerously low, and donations have been down for a while, we may end up having to choose between programs to ensure we can have at least one event in the remaining months of this year.  I've been very reluctant to even consider the thought of cutting an event.  It’s not a matter of wanting to but doing what circumstances say we have to. 

The children look forward to all the events.  But we have to prioritize.  Our Christmas Party, which is usually attended by about 1,000 children and families, is coming up in about 12 weeks.  It's our biggest event by far and will be here before we know it.  The bottom line is, things aren't the same as they were in the past.  So we can't do things the same way we always have. 

Therefore, we will have the Halloween Safety Center on October 31, sponsored by Neighborhood Watch, who provides the cider and cookies.  The Police Center will be open and staffed from 4:30pm-9:00pm to inspect children’s candy. Volunteers wear costumes and provide refreshments to kids and parents. 

If we receive enough funds in response to this letter, we will decide whether we can hold these other events, according to this tentative schedule: 

• Pumpkin Picking - Tuesday, October 28, 4:30pm:  We bring the kids to a field where they pick their own pumpkins.  200 pumpkins are needed for the pumpkin carving contest. Then we return to the Police Center to decorate for Halloween and enjoy snacks.
  
• Pumpkin Carving Party- Thursday, October 30, 5:00pm:  We invite area families to the Police Center to carve pumpkins and enjoy a free harvest meal. 

Donations needed include:  Pumpkins, candy, pumpkin carving kits, candles, decorations, food, drinks, cups, paper plates, napkins or checks to help us pay for supplies. 

If you are interested in helping or have any questions, please call me at (315)471-3257.

Sincerely yours,

Officer Clarke 

Summer Fishing Trip

Officers Clarke, Ware and some volunteers took a group of children on a fishing trip to Black Lake over a long weekend beginning August 8th.

See the rest of the pics on Flickr.

Picnic with Police and Fire Departments a Success

Hundreds of children and families turned out for the Picnic with the Police and Fire Departments that took place on Thursday in Washington Square Park.

Many loyal volunteers returned to the picnic this year to cook, assemble and serve hundreds of hot dogs and hamburgers to the public who attended. The grill masters behind the large barbecue, along with servers for all the other food items were stationed under a pavilion and went at full speed all afternoon.

Sides, cold drinks and the ever popular snow-cones rounded out the picnic fare. All food, ice, and other items were supplied by donors. Attendance was steady throughout the afternoon, in spite of a few brief showers.

Officers from the Syracuse Police Department's Community Policing and Traffic Divisions displayed equipment and programs, or assisted children near the entertainment areas. Several police vehicles were available for demonstration. A few patrol officers that work the North side were present when they were able to stop by.

Students from the GREAT program volunteered at the event, giving a helping hand wherever needed, including at the DARE Unit's information tent. There were other displays by various units.

In addition, Chief of Police Gary Miguel and the chiefs of each division were all present to greet the public during lunch. They stopped and talked with neighbors and supporters regarding topics of interest. Lots of Police Center friends stopped by, including Brian Cubbison of the Post Standard, who is part of our online community as well.

A Syracuse Fire Department chief, plus all of the officers and firefighters from Station 2 were present to help kick off and staff the picnic. They brought Truck, Engine and Mini 2 with them for demonstration to interested attendees. More than one hundred families had their pictures taken in or near the yellow ladder Truck and the red Engine that provided colorful backdrops. Firefighters patiently lifted children onto the steps and into the seats, then posed with them when asked.

Polariods took a bow at this year's event and made their final exit. Digital photography with on-demand printing was given a whirl for the first time, supplying some very nice take-aways for the families. We'll be perfecting this process for the Christmas Party.

Several times during the event, the firefighters administered first aid to a few children with minor cuts and bruises, and were dispatched to a nearby accident with injuries in front of the Police Center. With the exception of this, everything went off without a hitch.

Entertainment included various games with prizes, playground equipment and a very popular bouncy house that the kids rocked. Volunteers and officers supplied the resources to supervise and run the entertainment, all of which was made possible by private donations. One of the volunteer teams included a mother who owns a North side business, and brings her two teenage sons to give a hand at our events.

Some children cooled off in the fountain or by sitting under a tree to get their face painted. There were some very colorful and unique designs on the children's faces this year. Donors and volunteers provide the supplies and labor for this favorite feature of the picnic.

Additional photos from the event can be seen on our Flickr site.

We sincerely thank everyone who made this event possible: Our donors, volunteers, members of the City of Syracuse Police, Fire and other departments, and supporters, including the media and area businesses who publicized the event. The Picnic would not have been possible without you!

Picnic With Police and Fire Today

Picnic With Police and Fire, originally uploaded by northsidepolice.

Supporters and neighbors are invited to Washington Square Park today for a picnic, located off the north end of Park Street.

There will be information and displays by the Police, Fire and other City departments. Games and other forms of entertainment will be available for the kids. Burgers, hotdogs and other picnic fare will be served.

Keep an eye to the skies. If it's raining, the picnic will be postponed until tomorrow.

Free Ballgame Tickets, Smoke Detectors

Fire Prevention Tips Using Smoke Detectors

In recent months, neighbors on the North Side have experienced the tragic consequences of house fires. Some of these fires occurred in structures where smoke detectors were not present, not working or not located where they could make a difference in saving lives.

Almost a year ago, three people died in a multi-story home on Carbon Street. Only one working smoke detector was found by fire investigators, located on the first floor. Two children who died were recovered from a second floor bedroom. A woman was unable to escape a third-floor attic.

Approximately half of all fire deaths that occur in homes could be prevented if working smoke alarms were present, according to the National Fire Prevention Association (NFPA).

The primary reason why alarms are not working is that the devices installed are not operational. In fact, 1 out of every 5 homes that has smoke detectors installed lacks a single, working alarm. This is typically due to one or more of these factors:

• The Big Disconnect: People sometimes disconnect their alarms because they present a nuisance. They're either activated by steam or vapors from cooking or bathing, or they chirp constantly because the batteries need replacing.
  
  
• It Doesn't Work: Smoke Detectors need to be tested regularly. Although the batteries may be fresh, the unit may not work. Old units fail or give off false alarms. The older the unit is, the higher the odds are that it will not work.
  

Solutions to these problems are simple:

• Relocate alarms that are too close to cooking and bathing areas.
  


• Replace batteries and units on a regular schedule.
  
• Batteries: Whether they're dead or not, install new batteries twice a year. It's recommended that you do this when Daylight-Saving Time rolls around.
  
• Smoke Detectors: Check the back of the unit for a date clearly marked. Anything more than ten years old, or in bad shape, including units that have been painted, should be replaced. If your unit doesn't have a date on the back, it's old. Get rid of it.
  


• Regularly test your smoke detector on the same schedule.
  
• Press the button and see if it works.
  
• Don't gamble with old devices. Replace them.

As part of their ongoing fire prevention efforts, firefighters from the Syracuse Fire Fighters Association will be distributing FREE SMOKE DETECTORS tomorrow night at Alliance Bank Stadium before the Syracuse Chiefs take on Scranton-Wilkes-Barre at 7:00pm.

Members of the Syracuse Fire Fighters Association have also donated a supply of FREE TICKETS for the game. Please stop in and pick some up. Smoke detectors can be costly for many families. This is a great opportunity to have a night out with the kids, while doing something to keep them safe.

Be sure to arrive early to receive these free items. They'll be available while supplies last.

If you aren't able to pick up a free unit, please take the time to test the units in your home or apartment. Encourage your neighbors to do the same, or give them a hand. Let's do what we can to prevent another tragedy.

For more fire prevention tips, visit the NFPA website or contact Fire Prevention in the Syracuse Fire Department, (315)473-5525.

Summer Letter to Supporters

Officer Clarke with youth who recently volunteered
at Young Pheasant Release program.

Dear Supporters,

Our summer events are well under way. Unfortunately, Police Center funds are critically low. High gas prices have impacted our youth programming efforts. Whether it’s the cost of transporting youth to and from programs or picking up supplies, it all adds up.

Your past support has enabled us to provide regular youth programming throughout the year. We truly are in need of your help to continue these events. We’re currently seeking support for these upcoming events and programs:

• The Free Summer Breakfast and Lunch Program has begun. Monday through Friday 30 breakfasts and 60 lunches are made available to area children at the Police Center. Additional donations of hand soap and paper towels are costly supplies that are needed to supplement what is provided by the Food Bank. We urgently need these items to run this program.

• Our annual “Picnic With the Police and Fire Departments” is scheduled for Thursday, July 31, 11:00am – 4:30pm, (rain date Friday 1st August) in Washington Square Park. We are expecting an attendance of over 1,000 people. The picnic is a fun time for children and families in the community. Each year we offer free food, drinks and prizes for the families that attend. This is a big event and requires much planning and community support.

If you are interested in helping make our event a success, please consider donating: Hamburgers, hot dogs, rolls, drinks, ice (lots of ice for snow cones), snacks, napkins, paper plates, cups, Polaroid film, game prizes, face paints, etc. for approximately 900 neighborhood children.

If you wish to make a monetary donation, checks may be made out to the “Northside Community Police Center Fund” and mailed to 255 Wolf St, Syracuse, N.Y. 13208. Donations may be dropped off at the Northside Community Police Center or one of the Police Center volunteers will pick the items up at your business.

Your continued support is greatly appreciated.

If you have any questions, want to volunteer your time or the time of your employees, please contact me at 471-3257. Since this is a community event, please bring your families and employees to the picnic for lunch.

• Our Summer Camping Trip will take place in August. We will be in need of donations for that event. Details will be posted on our site.

• My daughter Alyssa recently graduated from Roberts Wesleyan College and is assisting us again this summer with the Free Meal Program. She is also planning reading and craft making activities for the children. Donations to assist with the purchase of supplies are needed.

An easy way to help us reduce expenses is to link with us online. Many of you visited our new website when it was launched in March, and since then we've seen steady growth and regular visitors from around the world. Subscribers have increased dramatically in recent weeks, and we appreciate those of you who are loyal readers.

Please continue to visit our website www.northsidepolice.com to access all the latest information on the main page. But don’t stop there. We need you to link with us so that updates can be sent to you in a timely fashion by email instead of snail mail.

The recent postage increase makes printing and mailing 2,000 letters and cards five times or more per year a burden on the budget. The letters have been posted on our site since January, along with frequent updates and articles of interest to supporters. The photos included in the cards can be accessed from our site as well, along with many more. Now you can subscribe to the blog from the main page of our website and receive our updates automatically.

In addition, please get added to our email list. To do so, go to our website home page, click on “Contact” and fill out the form, including your email address.

In other news, the Syracuse Police Dept. recently transitioned over to a new handgun. We are now carrying the Smith & Wesson M&P 45. As a Firearms Instructor, I have assisted with the transition classes over the past few months. I’ll be writing a blog post on the new handguns in the near future.

Last week, I assisted our DARE officers with their summer youth program, “G.R.E.A.T.” (Gang Resistance Education and Training). My role consisted of team building and instruction on the Ropes Challenge Course. Following that session, I became aware that the Young Pheasant Release program needed volunteers to assist in affixing blinders on the birds. So I asked the group and a few children volunteered to assist. You can read more about these events by visiting our site. The next group of G.R.E.A.T. youth will be going through the program July 28th-August 1st. I’ll be working with them again.

Remember, subscribe online to receive updates on these and other things happening at the Police Center.

Sincerely,

James K. Clarke
Police Officer
Northside Community Police Center

Great Kids Volunteer at Young Pheasant Release Program

Several teens from the GREAT Program joined Officer Clarke, along with other sportsmen and women and their children as volunteers in an area Young Pheasant Release program yesterday.

In spite of the heat, the children and teens worked enthusiastically and tirelessly alongside the adults to help apply blinders to over 1,000 five week old pheasants. The purpose of the blinders is to prevent the young pheasants from attacking each other, as they are apt to do at this phase in their development.

Once the blinders were on, the pheasants were refreshed and transferred to large outdoor pens. There they will mature until the fall when they will be released into designated wildlife areas.

More pics here.

Join Us: Involvement Fair

Later today, Officer Clarke and representatives from the Northside Community Police Center will be at the "Involvement Fair", an event sponsored by 40 Below. Stop by and say hello.

We're looking for volunteers with various skills to assist us at the Police Center. You can help with day to day operations, take over a project, assist with an event, take the lead on something, or even come up with an idea of your own and run with it, after discussing it with Officer Clarke.

At the Involvement Fair, we'll be available to talk with people interested in getting more involved in the community. Stop by Driver's Village in Cicero, Center Court between 5-9pm.

If you cannot make it, please check out our web site for more information, and use the contact form available there to get in touch with us.

Just this morning we heard from a potential volunteer who used our website, and told us about how she can help. It's a great way to connect with us, and we encourage you to get in touch.

In case you missed it, we made page A-2 of the Post Standard this past Sunday, announcing that we're part of the Upstate Blogs Network.

Reflections of a Fisherman

"Jim Gates teaches a boy to fish" originally uploaded by northsidepolice

Northsidebloggr has been encouraging me for months to post to the blog more often.

Most of what I know how to do on the computer I have learned on my own. That should give you an idea of how limited my computer skills are. I'm still learning the difference between a blog and a post. And I'm being Twittered to death.

A couple of weeks ago, I attempted to write a post on our Spring fishing trip. I was away from my computer, so I vigilantly typed at my tiny BlackBerry keyboard for over an hour.

Feeling confident my two thumbed typing was improving, I attempted to kick it up a little and mistakenly hit the back button. I lost all my work.

After regular encouragement from Northsidebloggr, I'm making another attempt at sharing moments from our Spring Fishing Trip. But this time I'm playing it safe. I'm at my laptop.

Over the past weeks, I've been busy instructing on the Pistol Range, leading a Ropes Challenge Course refresher at Camp Huntington in Raquette Lake, and attending a wedding, along with my regular duties at the Police Center. I was beginning to wonder whether we were going to have a free weekend to make this trip.

To make matters worse, we're low on funds, thanks in part to my last letter/blog post telling folks not to feel compelled to donate to every event, since rotating donations generally manage to meet our financial needs. That was a mistake I won't ever repeat, and should I have another lapse in judgment, the blog editor has assured me that she has my back.

We managed to make the trip in spite of the lack of adequate funds. To do so, we had to reduce the number of children we took with us. We were unable to purchase any new fishing equipment and needed to cut back on fruit and snack foods. But we felt the chocolate, marshmallows and graham crackers needed for S'more's were mandatory. We spent more than we received in donations.

Here's how the trip went. On the Friday before Memorial Day, Officer Dave Ware and I rounded up nine children right after school, loaded them into the DARE van and started on our journey northward on 81. Renee drove behind us in my pickup truck loaded with gear. My mother and her companion, Jim Gates, headed out from Palermo.

About an hour into our trip, we were nearing the Mannsville Rest Area where each long holiday weekend the volunteer fire department sets up a coffee stop. I can never drive by. It's not the coffee that draws me in. It's the dedication of these fine folks who give their time to benefit weary drivers. I knew the volunteers would be pleased to serve a DARE van full of children.

We pulled in, the kids piled out of the van, and we were promptly greeted by the smiling faces of the volunteers. The children each received a package of cookies or crackers and a cup of hot chocolate. As the volunteers chatted with the children, I admired their patience in answering each of the numerous questions the kids threw at them. Believe me they can ask a lot of questions.

As Officer Ware gathered the children back into the van, I dropped a twenty into the collection jar. Although I felt they deserved more, the weekend was just starting and I knew we were going to need the dollars.

We didn't travel much further before the "Are we there yet's?" started. After what seemed like a hundred or more "Almost's", we were driving down the driveway to camp. All three vehicles arrived at camp minutes apart.

Renee settled the girls in their bedroom while the boys brought their gear into the camper. We fired up the grill and Renee cooked hot dogs and hamburgers for dinner. After we ate, the children gathered up wood for a campfire and a gooey dessert.

It was a challenge to keep the marshmallows, which were flaming on the end of nine 3' forks, out of the kid's hair before they could be squeezed between the chocolate and graham crackers being prepared by Renee and Dave.

Although one of the boys was quite small, we had to set a limit on the number of S'more's he was allowed to consume, as cooking marshmallows all night long was not part of the plan.

Around 11, Renee and Dave brought the girls inside. While Mom, Gates and I sat a bit longer around the fire with the boys, I conceded to their requests to hold long sticks in the fire.

Once the sticks were glowing red, the next concession was allowing "The Waving of the Glowing Sticks". The boys insisted that the circulating smoke would keep the bugs from biting us.

By midnight, I had inhaled more smoke than any passing bug and insisted it was time for bed. Although the boys denied being tired, they were asleep within 30 seconds of being tucked in.

The smell of bacon awoke me the next morning. The boys were out on the dock fishing with mother and Gates. Soon the girls got up and we all ate together. Renee likes to treat the children to a hot breakfast of bacon, hash, eggs and toast. We serve cereal as well, and most kids eat everything we offer them.

We were happy to find that none of the beds were wet. This is a problem we sometimes encounter, but thankfully, everyone rested well at my camp.

After breakfast, we loaded the kids in the van and drove a half mile down the road to the local bait store where we signed them all up for the "Tagged Fish Contest". Several hundred Panfish are caught, tagged and released back into the lake each Spring. If you purchase an entry form and later catch a tagged fish you win a prize. Prizes range from fishing poles to $5,000 cash.

During the weekend we must have caught and released 1,000 Panfish. Unfortunately, none of them were tagged. In past years, I have caught a couple of tagged fish and won $25.

It was a challenge dividing up the nine children between three rowboats and one canoe, each powered by an adult. Two of the boys who were assigned to the canoe had gone out earlier that morning with Dave in the rowboat. They told him they preferred the rowboat, which allowed them to move around inside much more than the canoe, which required them to sit still.

As Dave shared this fact with me, I pictured the canoe tipping over with all my gear floating to the bottom of the lake. So when it came to a choice between paddling a loaded canoe or rowing a loaded boat, I felt it was a better idea for me to deal with the canoe. This was Dave's first trip to my camp, after all, and I wanted him to come back.

At one point while anchored and fishing with two of the boys, a gust of wind blew across the lake. We watched Dave 100 yards away rowing for about 15 minutes against the wind, and it seemed as though he was hardly going anywhere.

Our days included fishing and swimming. The children were, of course, constantly on the move.

Still. whenever night came they had plenty of energy for S'more-making, stick-burning and bug-smoking until eventually I'd outlast them and put them to bed.

The weekend was a great time for all of us. You can view the pictures here.

To all of you folks who contribute to the Police Center, thank you for your support.

Until next time,

Officer Clarke

Monster Jam Pics

Thank you to the many people who supported DARE (Drug and Alcohol Resistance Education) by purchasing tickets to "Monster Jam".

Ticket sales doubled at the Police Center this year.

We're excited about this, because it means our new web site is achieving the goals we set. We hope you'll continue to become more involved with us and our programs as you get to know us better. We want to hear more from you. So please keep the emails coming, as well as the comments on our content.

Special thanks to Officer Diglio for supplying the pics of Monster Jam 2008, which was held over Memorial Day weekend at the New York State Fairgrounds.

If you're not familiar with DARE or GREAT (Gang Resistance Education and Training), check out the pics of our local programming and some of the links in this post. We'll be working with youth in the GREAT program again this summer.

Officer Clarke Receives "Officer Appreciation Award"

Congratulations!, originally uploaded by northsidepolice.

Officer Clarke Received the 2008 "Officer Appreciation Award" at "Light Up the Night", sponsored by the Neighborhood Watch Groups of Onondaga County.

Demonstrations by the Syracuse Police and Fire Departments included various forms of emergency response equipment. Check out the pics.

Congratulations to the Medal Recipients

Congratulations to all of the Syracuse police officers and firefighters who received medals and other recognition for their outstanding service to our community.

A special shout out goes to the two Syracuse police officers and this firefighter, whose performances included several lifesaving rescues that were recognized with the highest award, the Francis Hendrick's Medal.

There's No Place Like Home

"If happy little bluebirds fly
Beyond the rainbow
Why, oh why can't I?"

- Over The Rainbow,
Yip Harburg and Harold Arlen

“Words make you think thoughts,
Music makes you feel a feeling,
But a song makes you feel a thought.”

Yip Harburg

Among my fondest childhood memories is the fun we had putting on plays.

We kids would select a play from a book that contained scripts, and choose relevant music. Then we'd divvy up the roles and practice. Sometimes we'd just act out the play for our own enjoyment. Other times, we'd decide to invite a small audience.

Before the day of the event, we'd set up the stage, create a curtain and put some chairs and benches in place in the basement. Then we'd invite neighborhood kids and put on the performance. The adults would sneak in for a view and to lend support.

Of the plays attempted, the one we kept settling on was "The Wizard of Oz". We had the movie soundtrack and used it as the background music for the singers. One of our closest neighbor friends loved to sing, and she had a lovely voice. She was also brave enough to solo, and would practice at home singing along with the record for hours. Of course, she played Dorothy, and I never tired of hearing her sing "Over the Rainbow". She always sang it with so much feeling.

These memories came to mind as I viewed an interview with Margaret Pelligrini, one of the munchkins who visited the area last weekend for "Oz Stravaganza". She proclaims that nobody can sing "Over The Rainbow" like Judy Garland did, and she has heard many try. Just a glance over the comments beneath the video of Garland's performance at it's original source shows a tiny sample of the enormous impact this song has made and continues to make on people. Whenever it is heard, it evokes some thought or feeling about home.

For some, home is where they enjoy being and long to return, where one knows they are always safe and cared for. Home may be a state of existence others desire to recapture, like the carefree, happy feeling of childhood. Even those who have had humble or less than ideal home environments seem to hold the memories of their childhood dwelling place in high regard.

Sadly, home is not that kind of place for some children growing up. It may be a place from which a child longs to escape.

For these kids, home is where their basic needs are not met. When the needs of kids are neglected, the fundamental building blocks that help them function as well-adjusted adults may not be present. If they don't develop these assets somewhere along the way, they may make wrong choices that result in other problems, including violence and crime.

The story of Bill Strickland, highlighted in the post "What One Person Can Do", illustrates how a child who is at risk of these negative outcomes can be positively influenced by other caring adults. Strickland was cared for by a teacher and his wife, who taught him important life skills and treated him like family. As a result of his experience, Strickland went on to dedicate his life to helping other children in similar circumstances receive the kind of support they need to grow and thrive as adults.

Community Policing aims to address the issues that can prevent crime through various interventions, including the placement of Policing Centers with officers assigned full-time in neighborhoods. At the Northside Community Police Center (NCPC), Officer Clarke and the volunteers effort to create an environment that welcomes kids and makes them feel cared for.

The atmosphere of events at the NCPC feels close to that of a family environment for children. The adults have a good time, too. Seeing the happy expressions on their faces is very rewarding.

The pictures and cards available, as well as blog posts (tagged "events") and Officer Clarke's quarterly letters, chronicle these events. Supporters can see their donations and efforts were worthwhile, and participants can remember the fun they had.

The times spent with other adults and children during these events may create lasting memories that these kids will recall in future years. They may even produce a "Bill Strickland" someday.

What is one of your fondest childhood memories? Share it with us in the Comments.