A new focus: Police officers' roles changing
Photo
Janesville police officer Benjamin Thompson gets into an involved conversation on Transformer toys with a youthful shopper before hitting the store at Wal-Mart.
Photo
8-year-old Ivan Ayala, right, gets pressed into thinking about a present for a sibling under the expert questioning of Janesville police officer and shopping buddy, Nathan Blank, left.
Photo
Officer Laurie Valley and her shopping buddy Cody Rhodes from Jefferson Elementary School entertain each other before hitting the store for their spending spree.
Photo
Janesville Police Chief David Moore shows his 6-year-old shopping buddy Dawson Daniels a picture of an airplane on his phone. Daniels, from Van Buren Elementary, had at least two airplane toys in his basket.
JANESVILLE — It was a sight you don’t see every day.
Twelve little kids leading the way, followed by 15 uniformed cops earnestly pushing shopping carts. The kids were on missions to spend $166 however they wanted at Walmart. They had to spend at least part of it on themselves.
“This is an order from the police,” Sgt. Chad Sullivan of the Janesville Police Department had said.
As board games, trucks and scooters piled up in the carts or were banished back to the shelves, the uniformed officers frantically did the math on cell phones or scraps of paper. They stood patiently during the painstaking decisions … the helicopter or the airplane? Would my sister rather have a Polly Pocket or this pink tutu?
They helped pick out a lock for a new bike and candles for someone’s aunt. One boy picked out a gift he intended to donate, and another tried on winter coats.
Staff members at each of Janesville’s elementary schools chose the participants. For the kids to qualify, their families had to meet requirements for the federal free and reduced lunch program. The kids were chosen as rewards for good behavior.
Next year, Sullivan hopes to collect enough donations to get gift cards for 24 students.
The kids, of course, were focused on their shopping missions. From time to time, however, one would glance up at his or her officer buddy with one of those hero-worship looks saved for police, firefighters and Captain America.
The looks clearly said, “You walk on water, and you are here just for me.”
The officers volunteered their time Wednesday for the annual Shop With a Cop event. Still, picking out Christmas presents and sharing punch and cookies with 8-year-olds is an important part of the department’s mission to connect with the community to prevent rather than react to crime, said Chief Dave Moore, who was one of the happy shoppers.
It’s a mission that is important to many departments across the state and continues to grow, said Larry Neuman, professor and chairman of the Sociology, Anthropology and Criminal Justice Department at UW-Whitewater.
“As a society, we’re expecting more of our police officers,” Neuman said. “It’s becoming more of a serious professional role we’re expecting them to have.”
It’s so important that employers more often are looking for applicants with bachelor’s or even master’s degrees in addition to certifications from police academies, said Mark Brown, dean of the protective services department at Blackhawk Technical College in Rock County.
It’s often easier for an applicant to get hired if that bachelor’s degree isn’t in criminal justice, Brown said.
“If you have a criminal justice background, it’s going to be quite a job coming in (getting hired), versus someone with a teaching degree, medical degree or nursing degree,” Brown said. “Departments are looking for someone who’s a little more well rounded.”
Not everyone has the ability to communicate with 8-year-olds or walk into someone else’s home to safely stop and sort out a family argument. Nor does just anyone have the ability to work side by side with clergy, social workers, politicians, medical professionals and juvenile delinquents, Neuman said.
That’s why UW-Whitewater students who want to become police officers are often encouraged to take psychology, interpersonal communications and social work classes, Neuman said.
“But I don’t want to be a social worker,” students sometimes respond.
Even the most well-rounded students are often surprised when they go to work as police officers, said Erin Stefanik, a Janesville native who has been with the Janesville Police Department since 2004.
“I think everybody is at least a little startled,” Stefanik said. “Some of these things you would never have imagined you would be taking complaints of. A lot of people think we just ride around in a car and pull people over all day. If you can’t think who to call, sometimes people just call the police and ask our advice.”
Stefanik found herself in one of those surprising situations this fall when she responded to a report of a 6-year-old Janesville girl on her bike in the Olive Garden parking lot. The girl told her parents she was going to visit a friend, but she took off on an adventure up Highway 14, up and down an Interstate ramp and over to the Olive Garden.
Stefanik returned the girl safely home
“There’s something different every day,” Stefanik said. “You get to learn with people and help people. You can use what you learn for the next time. Sometimes, we learn just as much as they do.”
Feb 25, 2012 at 9:50 a.m.
Suggest removal
Wow, the tone of many of these comments are so cold, while the context of this story seems so warm. We're talking about getting getting kids things they normally couldn't get.The officers in our community doing their jobs well- and the adults have the audacity to turn the discussion into personal attacks. You should all(eligible cold-hearted adults here) be ashamed!
On a lighter note, hats off to J.P.D. and those who made this possible. Nice story, thanks! =)
Dec 21, 2011 at 4:48 p.m.
Suggest removal
The education of a person who's willing to force people, by threat of violence, to curb their desires or alter their habits which pose no risk to others is irrelevant.
Dec 21, 2011 at 10:30 a.m.
Suggest removal
Commissioners are not judges, so how are they signing a warrants of any kind? Hey, why not have the police just sign their own warrants. With police like that, who needs terrorists. The only thing busting down doors is going to lead to is busting down the door of the guy who is more heavily armed.
Dec 21, 2011 at 10:26 a.m.
Suggest removal
officerfreindly, there are no conservatives. They are all ignorant reactionaries like you. Neoconservatives like you claim the government is incompetent while blaming it for supposedly being able to brainwash people.
Dec 21, 2011 at 6:26 a.m.
Suggest removal
"The officers volunteered their time Wednesday..."
Reading comprehension rules, miltonalum!!!
Dec 21, 2011 at 6:02 a.m.
Suggest removal
Its nice what they are doing BUT, it is a complete waste of resources, time and money. Social workers should be doing this or the cops should be "donating" time to do it, it is completely unnacceptable that they are doing this on the taxpayer clock not to mention 15 of them at the same time...Nice program, waste of my money.
Dec 20, 2011 at 10:12 p.m.
Suggest removal
officerfriendly1, I think the point of the social work, counseling, etc. degrees is to re-inforce to the public that cops are not out there "writing speeding tickets and parking tickets" nearly as much as they are out in the community dealing with social problems such as domestic violence, single parents who are struggling with raising the kids while trying to put food on the table, and helping said kids understand that cops are not the bad guys. You can't "prove" cops are good guys if you can't communicate with others. They are not supposed to be the ones "busting down the doors with their guns ablazing". This is the reason the social work and teaching degrees help rather than "just knowing state statutes"...I rest my case.
Dec 20, 2011 at 3:50 p.m.
Suggest removal
Kind of funny how someone that bashes JPD for doing something nice would use a screen name like OFFICERFRIENDLY1? Obviously someone that WANTED to be a cop and washed out of the process! Crawl back into your hole and let the rest of us enjoy this Holiday Season. And change your blog name to Ebenezor Scrooge while you are at it you jack wagon!
Dec 20, 2011 at 3:26 p.m.
Suggest removal
As a person with a juris doctorate I find the people that criticize advanced education more often than not don't have one.
Dec 20, 2011 at 1:16 p.m.
Suggest removal
wisconsinheat: I will second that!
Dec 20, 2011 at 11:58 a.m.
Suggest removal
wow, I wonder if Janesville will ever be rid of so many Scrooges! That's one thing I really don't miss about that town.
ANYWAY, hats off to the Janesville PD! You guys are awesome...and here's a special shout out to Benjamin Thompson. We went through school together since 1st grade, and he has always been a great guy. Way to go man!
Dec 20, 2011 at 10:33 a.m.
Suggest removal
If you are ordered to volunteer, it isn't volunteering.
Dec 20, 2011 at 10:31 a.m.
Suggest removal
wisconsinheat - you are dealing with some people that always have their glass half empty! Its unfortunate but never the less some people just can't be made to be happy about anything. That is where Prozac comes into play, hopefully! Merry Christmas!
Dec 20, 2011 at 7:53 a.m.
Suggest removal
Good job JPD! Ignore the hateful ungrateful Janesville comments. Imagine how you all look to other communities when you rip apart something nice that your pd does. Grow up!
Dec 20, 2011 at 1:09 a.m.
Suggest removal
Its funny how some always have a bad word for something when its really all about the kids. As someone who has done this in other parts of the state, the rewards far outweigh anything you can imagine. Those kids did not ask to be put in the situations that they have to qualify for this program. Also the officers that VOLUNTEER THEIR TIME to do this want to do it not for the publicity but to make a childs Christmas a little happier. Yes we need to teach our kids that money is not everything, but can you remember how as a child you felt when Christmas came and the gifts that was brought by Santa?? For all of you who want to put out a mean word about this, we dont see you donating your time and efforts to do the same thing....what would it take the next time your in line and offer to help out someone in need during the holidays?? Thank you to all the officers that do this project and DONATE their time away from their own families and children. Its easier to point fingers then get involved, sad.
Dec 20, 2011 at 12:20 a.m.
Suggest removal
why don't you have a listen to this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v3E1x95wT...
Dec 19, 2011 at 11:55 p.m.
Suggest removal
I just can't help but comment on the commenters here.
I hope fromjanesville2waukesha is getting the help and support he so desperately needs, and officerfreindly1 does not live anywhere near my jurisdiction.
Dec 19, 2011 at 11:35 p.m.
Suggest removal
officerfriendly- a commonsense degree would tell you that this is an excellent message to send to poor families that they need not be afraid of the Police, but again that would be if you had common sense.
What I find most offensive about this is the partisan banter. This is a nice program for some kids who don't have as much around the holidays and give them a reason to hope that better days may be coming and they have a community surrounding them that will suport them when things are grim. Is that communism? Is that Socialism? Is that liberalism? Is that commonsense? Or is that just humanity? Sometimes you need to check yourself for the Doctorate in ingorance, and a Masters in stupidity.
Common sense would tell anyone that a community should stick together when times are tough.
Unfortunately, there are somany partisan weirdos in the world they honestly attach an ideology to everything , and frankly it makes me ill, especially around the holidays! Good for the JPD and merry christmas to all, even the unfortunate, some of us stand by you and your children, and heres hoping that someday this political corruption will end and bring Janesville and Rock County back to what it once was.
I agree on Laurie Valley, she helped coach my son in his first season of T-ball and was great!
Dec 19, 2011 at 9:13 p.m.
Suggest removal
officerfriendly, perhaps the sarcastic attitude you display is why the officer's have to work hard to overcome a negative perception from the general public.
Dec 19, 2011 at 7:16 p.m.
Suggest removal
Actually I am hard on the JPD...now I have to say.."Good for you guys"...thats just awesome...thats a community act..well done
Dec 19, 2011 at 7:07 p.m.
Suggest removal
officerfriendly1: I have to disagree in part. I think the notion that graduates with a criminal justice degree get passed over by those with the degrees mentioned in the article is ridiculous. You're right, if someone is breaking into my home I want someone who can deal with the situation & I could care less if they can sing me a show tune or tell me about who their favorite french impressionist is & why. However, I have to disagree with your other comments. As we all know money is a huge issue these days & there isn't enough to go around, therefore out of necessity a lot of people including the police have to take on different roles including social worker etc. but I don't see that as being a bad thing. I think it goes a long way to building better community relations between the police & citizens & I'm not just saying that because I have a liberal arts degree from Marquette.
Dec 19, 2011 at 6:20 p.m.
Suggest removal
It's interesting that that some of you consider me a, "Hater" simply for my dissenting opinion. I consider government an intrusion, a somewhat necessary inconvenience, in our society.
"Be polite to all, but intimate with few." -Thomas Jefferson
Dec 19, 2011 at 6 p.m.
Suggest removal
Interesting we can no longer comment on the challenging the role of ct com. article. Did it get too confrontational?
Dec 19, 2011 at 4:30 p.m.
Suggest removal
I guess I shouldnt be surprised that even an article like this could bring out the haters.
Great Job JPD!
Dec 19, 2011 at 3:28 p.m.
Suggest removal
Why Think - the greedy self serving are the entitlement people on tese forums.
Dec 19, 2011 at 3:15 p.m.
Suggest removal
Thank you for elaborating on this story mentioned in your blog last week. What a wonderful program & way to reward less fortunate children while creating goodwill in the community. Good job JPD! Keep up the great work:)
Dec 19, 2011 at 2:51 p.m.
Suggest removal
fromjanesville2waukesha - Obviously you were one that didn't receive gifts as a kid because you were naughty and are still upset about it.
Dec 19, 2011 at 1:20 p.m.
Suggest removal
It is a great program. Period. Generally I am anti everything, especially where the government and government run agencies are concerned. But when it comes to making children happy at Christmas, I cannot understand how some people can find any objection at all.
Dec 19, 2011 at 1:03 p.m.
Suggest removal
Great progam. Those complaining simply do not love or appreciate this country. They don't get that their taxes pay for NEEDED services provided by GREAT men and women. They also do not understand what it means to be a Great person.
.
They are too greedy and self-serving to understand "volunteerism".
Dec 19, 2011 at 12:28 p.m.
Suggest removal
It could have been worse. They could have been in the parking lot issuing tickets for not paying the wheel tax... oh that will be next year.
Dec 19, 2011 at 11:35 a.m.
Suggest removal
The quote "this is an order..." was referring to the kids having to spend money on themselves. Bringing awareness to a worthy cause is not looking for a "pat on the back" either.
Dec 19, 2011 at 11:20 a.m.
Suggest removal
"This is an order of JPD..." Perhaps it isn't necessary for the government to attempt to endear itself to us. Millions of people donate time and money to worthy charities without an expectation or desire for exposure. They wanted a pat on the back and they got it.
Dec 19, 2011 at 11:11 a.m.
Suggest removal
FromjanesvilletoWaukesha
Are you for real? for starters all sorts of Police Officers volunteer their time to participate in worthy causes...check out a Special Olympics event, all sorts of Police Officers there in uniform donating their time. Not all Police uniforms and equipment are "government issued" either. Many Police Officers have to buy not only the uniform clothes, but they buy their guns as well. They also may have to buy most, if not all of the equipment they wear around there waists. Most Depts just provide the Badge and Taser, the rest is on the Officers to buy, which when added up can run in the thousands of dollars because Police equipment isn't cheap. Finally, Jeans and a T-Shirt? are you serious??? the whole point is to be in uniform and interact positively with the Kids, the uniform is the whole point. If they have contact with a Police Officer, I'm pretty sure the Police Officer won't be in jeans and a t-shirt...they will be in uniform. Wow, I can't believe this has to be broken down and spelled out for you. Good job JPD, as usual there are always "detractors" from the positive things you do.
Dec 19, 2011 at 11:07 a.m.
Suggest removal
Who cares if it was publicized? Too often kids in poor neighborhoods only see the harsh or even cruel side of a police force, I speak from experience here. It is a GREAT thing if these cops can show the kids that they are there to help them, that most of the police are on their side. And, BTW, the uniforms and guns don't cost us taxpayers any more if they are worn to Wal-mart off duty, so calm down. I don't like buying from China any more than the next girl, but it was the multi-national corporations that sent the jobs there and chose to sell the goods here in the first place, not the little guy.
Dec 19, 2011 at 11:06 a.m.
Suggest removal
"If this was them "doing it on their own time" why were they wearing government issued uniforms and government issued guns?"
Fromjanesvilletowaukesha
A lot of teachers go above and beyond teaching reading and math by caring "on their own time" for kids that might only get their only meal at school. For me, you can't place a price tag on that even if it was during scheduled teaching hours.
Dec 19, 2011 at 10:54 a.m.
Suggest removal
If this was them "doing it on their own time" why were they wearing government issued uniforms and government issued guns? I think jeans and a T-shirt would be adequate to spend the $166. This was a publicity stunt and apparently, it worked. Am I to believe the gazette wasn't notified in advance and just happened to be there?
Dec 19, 2011 at 10:51 a.m.
Suggest removal
Troublemaker-Yes, I'm sure you have your suspect all wrapped up in a big red bow and JPD is ignoring you.
concrete-Don't worry, he's always like that. The police are all big meanies and society would be much better off w/o someone to enforce the rules. He's the type that if you gave him a million dollars, he'd complain about the taxes.
JPD, keep up the good work!
Dec 19, 2011 at 8:22 a.m.
Suggest removal
I think this is such an awesome way for police Officers to interact with kids! It's a positive reminder for all children, including the ones not on the shopping trip, that cops are not mean. In my opinion, having two children myself, kids are more afraid of cops. Over the years kids have learned that someone talking with a police officer is naughty and they're in trouble, more than they are available to help you and someone you should trust.
Dec 19, 2011 at 7:39 a.m.
Suggest removal
Sigma-If anyone needs to be taught a lesson on economics it would be the parents. It is a parents responsibility to provide a child's education. And I'm not saying the parents of these particular children did anything wrong. I just think in general we need to quit "babysitting" and "educating" for lazy parents.
Dec 19, 2011 at 6:31 a.m.
Suggest removal
Im just saying.. why go through all the effort and not teach them anything? Why am I being a jerk for proposing more education????
Dec 19, 2011 at 3:24 a.m.
Suggest removal
Please stay over in Waukesha .....maybe there is a cop hating forum over there for you.... Thanks JPD officers...Nice job....this has nothing to do with cop haters, propaganda, free or reduced lunch, or someone's unsolved burglary....Merry Christmas kids.....
Dec 19, 2011 at 12:54 a.m.
Suggest removal
Great job JPD!
Dec 19, 2011 at 12:23 a.m.
Suggest removal
a very heartwarming story and good deed done by a great bunch of people. thanks jpd for making a difference. happy holidays!
Dec 18, 2011 at 11:32 p.m.
Suggest removal
Thank you, JPD officers who participated in this event. I'm sure you warmed the hearts of several young people by giving up your time with your families to help these kids have a better Christmas. Your kindnesses to these kids will leave a lasting memory and maybe one day, they will also pay it forward. To the grinches who are so critical of this story, I am sorry that you have so little joy in your lives that you can't appreciate the goodness of other people who chose to help those less fortunate.
Dec 18, 2011 at 11:29 p.m.
Suggest removal
Troublemaker, perhaps you should have someone explain the article to you. The officers were off duty doing this on their own time. Your tax dollars have nothing to do with this program. The officers were not ignoring their primary jobs.
Dec 18, 2011 at 10:49 p.m.
Suggest removal
Does anybody know how to spell "propaganda?"
Dec 18, 2011 at 9:39 p.m.
Suggest removal
This community could use a few more people like Laurie Valley. I swear she does as much uncompensated community service as she does police work.
Dec 18, 2011 at 9:37 p.m.
Suggest removal
Hats off to them. Great story.
Dec 18, 2011 at 9:02 p.m.
Suggest removal
This is just great! Why won't the JPD take the time to go arrest the guy who robbed stuff from my apartment two weeks ago? We have complete evidence for an arrest and conviction, but they seem to be "asleep at the wheel." Is this what I'm paying property taxes for (which just doubled) -- so the police can be all warm and fuzzy while they ignore their primary job?
Dec 18, 2011 at 8:52 p.m.
Suggest removal
Kids who aren't on Free/Reduced lunch don't deserve rewards for good behavior??
Dec 18, 2011 at 8:43 p.m.
Suggest removal
Sigma, you are a jerk! You just can't stand a positive story can you! It's Christmas! Do you give all the kids an economics lesson everytime you give them a gift? Christmas must be a blast at your house!
Dec 18, 2011 at 7:28 p.m.
Suggest removal
I'll also add im not disrespecting this program, it is a great idea and wonderful... But I think there should be a lesson involved in it.
Dec 18, 2011 at 7:19 p.m.
Suggest removal
Did they teach them the more chinese stuff they buy the more americans are being put out of work? Oh... Thats right, we dont teach kids economics anymore, we just teach them to buy what they want whether they can afford it or not. The very reason these students qualify for federal aid lunch program could be somewhat related to the lack of work available for their parents because of companies outsourcing to china.
Dec 18, 2011 at 6:38 p.m.
Suggest removal
Great story. Many thanks to all those men and women.
Dec 18, 2011 at 4:17 p.m.
Suggest removal
Police officers would do this everyday of the week, and pay for it out of their own pockets if they could. All part of protecting and serving. God Bless each and everyone of them.
Before you post a comment, consider this:
Note: GazetteXtra.com does not condone or review every comment. Read more in our User Policy AgreementPost Comment
Commenting requires registration.