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0''*$*"-16#-*$"5*0/0'5)&- "8& /'03$&.&/5& %6$"5*0/1 30(3". 5IF1PMJDF0GªDFST +PVSOBM70-6.& /6.#&3 46..&3 #FOUPO5XQ 1BSFOUT4VQQPSU 1SPKFDU4BGFLJET QH The Police Officers Journal Some of the pre-school- age youngsters showed a bit of apprehension which quickly turned into curiosity as parents 70-6.& /6.#&3 46..&3 lined up to have them fingerprinted and photographed. Law Enforcement Education Program (LEEP©) Send Address Changes to: 667 E. Big Beaver Road, Suite 205, Troy, MI 48083. (248) 524-3200 • FAX: 248 524-2752 www//leepusa.com S.O.S. Program: (800) 451-1220 www//polc.org EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE CHAIR: Greg Huggett Battle Creek Police Dept. 1BSFOUT David J. VanHouten Grand Rapids Communications Paul C. Combs Berkley Public Safety Dept. 1SPKFDU Rick Bleich By A.J. Malta Muskegon Police Dept. Richard Hetherington Flint Police Dept. Brett D. McGrew Berrien County Sheriffs Dept. Brian P. Miller Lincoln Park Police Dept. Richard Prince Grand Rapids Police Dept. Thomas Wilk Macomb County Community College DIRECTOR, Richard Weiler Detroit PD (Retired) PUBLICATIONS Danny Bartley • John Viviano Postmaster: Please send returns and all other communications to the Law Enforcement Education Program Business Office: 667 E. Big Beaver Road, Suite 205, Troy, MI 48083. Published by The Dale Corp., (248) 542-2400 Berrien County Sheriff’s deputy Brett McGrew and his daughter Executive Editor, Dale Z. Jablonski Hannah, 8, were among the first arrivals to take part in Project Safekids. Production staff: Diané E. Bertoli, A.J. Malta 2 • SUMMER 2007 The Police Officers Journal T'MPDLUP 4BGFLJET-BVODI bout 100 concerned western Mich- Sheriff’s deputy and POLC Board member, McGrew pointed to the national news igan families were on hand in May Brett McGrew, along with several of the coverage about the disappearance and Ato have free Identity packages area’s school districts. search for a Missouri teen, who was made up for their children thanks to the It was the first program done in Michigan found safe four days later in a suburban Law Enforcement Education Program (LEEP). since LEEP took on the national leadership St. Louis apartment house along with The occasion was the first LEEP-sponsored role for Project Safekids activities. CONTINUED ON PAGE 4 ´ Project Safekids event, held in Berrien County at the Point Blank Sports Club. The child identification kits, including fingerprints and current photo were all recorded to an “Amber Alert-compatible” personal computer disk, and given to the parents for safekeeping. The Amber Alert system is active in all 50 states and used by a majority of law enforcement agencies for missing children reports. Oversee- ing all of the activity at the Point Blank event was Scott Woods, Director of the Project Safekids child safety program. “It didn’t take much convincing for this effort to get under way, and I am really pleased at the public response it got,” said Hannah McGrew LEEP Executive Director Richard R. Weiler, shows a printout who was also on hand for the event – of her own Identity disk’s data record. held with the assistance of Berrien County www.polc.org • 3 The Police Officers Journal _ Roy was happy to help make the event a success by hosting it at his new Sports facility in Benton Township. to the child’s parents or guardian. This permanent ID format easily interfaces with all police needs in the event an “Amber Alert” is ever required. One parent acknowledged “this is some- thing every parent just has to do,” and most expressed gratitude for the chance b Project Safekids director Scott Woods, at left, explains the process to (from left) Berrien to stop in and get it done. Most of the County Sheriff’s deputy Brett McGrew, and youngsters were fascinated by the ease LEEP’s Dale Jablonski and Richard Weiler. and speed of the process. Both LEEP and Project Safekids have the another abducted teen who had been The “Project Safekids” child safety same goal: To form partnerships between missing for four years. “This is the kind program enhances the national “Amber Law Enforcement agencies, communities of stuff that weighs very heavy on every Alert” program in use by most police agen- parents’ mind,” said the Berrien deputy. cies in Michigan. At each sponsored “Having a permanent record of their “event,” professionals collect fingerprints children’s identity is one of the things of each child through electronic scanners every parent should do,” he explained and take a digital photograph of each child – when asked why he had helped bring storing all information collected on a this event to Berrien County. single CD-ROM disk – which is given only 4 • SUMMER 2007 The Police Officers Journal and corporate sponsors to offer needed Point Blank Sports Club owner services and programs at little or no cost Roy Daugherty and his wife to participants. Edie, make sure that daughter Mercedes, 7, is part of Project Point Blank Sports Club owner Roy Safekids. Daugherty said he was happy to sponsor the event at his new Benton Township business location as a site for Project Safekids and he helped promote the event throughout the community. “It was first of all an opportunity to be part of a real community service, and I was grateful for the chance to introduce the folks who showed up to all the aspects of our new building,” he explained. The Point Blank Sports Club has a health and fitness center with gymnasium, locker rooms weights and exercise equipment as well as indoor target ranges and a full service hunting and fishing equipment store. "1BSFOU LEEP is planning additional Project Safekids events in several Michigan communities this year. To help sponsor or bring an event to /FFET1SPKFDU your area, or for further information about Project Safekids programs, call 1-800-451- 1220 or go to wwww.projectsafekids.org 4BGFLJET,JUT or www.leepusa.com/home./html. d t’s every parent’s worst nightmare: A child who disappears in a crowd during Berrien County youngsters show a picnic outing. A toddler wanders out of a store’s open door. A teen doesn’t a wide variety of reactions to the Icome back from the mall. Another child is missing, and it’s YOUR’s. Project Safekids process, as their According to the FBI, about 797,500 kids are reported missing each year. personal identity kits are prepared. Though most are found safe, the headlines tell of the tragic incidents that weigh all too heavily on the minds of parents. The FBI suggests that all parents should have the needed information to help identify their child ready to hand to law enforcement the instant they report a child missing. The best way to do that is with a child identification kit, like the one provided free to parents at any LEEP Project Safekids activity. Using the latest electronic technology the LEEP Project Safekids kits provide a police network-compatible permanent record in one complete package: • Electronically scanned, inkless, fingerprints. • A current photo • A detailed physical description Recording a child’s fingerprints is particularly important. Not only are everyone’s fingerprints unique, but also because they don’t change over time, as do physical appearance. LEEP Project Safekids kits are also completely compatible with police needs and the Amber Alert Network. Parents are the keepers of all information recorded for each child. No other copies are kept or maintained or accessible by any agency unless the parents provide it and give their permission. To help schedule a LEEP-supported Project Safekids event in your community, call 1-800-451-1220. d www.polc.org • 5 $BMMJOHBMM $SVJT *OUFSOBUJPOBM1PMJ BU/PSUI"NFSJDB¤ By Brad Lindberg, Special Writer Photos courtesy Ed Ungerman, Ferndale PD; Woodwar olice officers from almost every- where plan to keep the Woodward PDream Cruise from becoming an overwhelming nightmare. “Last year, even the Alabama High- way Patrol sent motorcycle officers to help,” Royal Oak Police Chief Theodore Quisenberry said. As befits the geography of the event, the Royal Oak Department assumes a central role in coordinating law enforcement needs for the 12th annual Cruise on Saturday, August 19, from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. The Detroit suburb in one of the nine communities lining the Dream Cruise route and encom- passes about 25 percent of the 16-mile Woodward Ave. (US-1) route running north from 8 Mile Rd. at the Detroit-Ferndale border through Pleasant Ridge, Huntington Woods, Berkley, Royal Oak, Birmingham, Bloomfield Hills, Bloomfield Township to Wide Track Drive in the city of Pontiac. 6 • SUMMER 2007 The Police Officers Journal DBST DBMMJOHBMMDBST TJO¤8PPEXBSE DFDPPQFSBUJPOIFMQTLFFQTPSEFS TMBSHFTUTQFDUBUPSHBUIFSJOH d Dream Cruise Committee, and Royal Oak PD “The epicenter is at Woodward and Departments from areas outside the Cruise agency along the route without the co- 13 Mile,” Quisenberry noted. zone use the event as a chance to bone up operation and extra help provided by The Alabama officers were among an on contending with an overflow crowd. other departments. international police contingent from nearly “You can’t duplicate a situation like “Police aren’t trying to be party poopers,” 60 jurisdictions –mainly representing this,” Quisenberry said. “The only way to said Bob North, chief of the Berkley public Southeast Michigan but also including experience it is to be here. The Alabama safety department. “We have to make sure Minneapolis, Minn.; Ohio and even Windsor, officers said some of their NASCAR events this event is as safe as possible so people Ont. Canada – providing needed men and come close.” can enjoy it.” equipment to oversee the 2006 Cruise, This year, 1.7 million fans are anticipated SECOND GEAR when an estimated 1.5 million muscle to attend as 40,000 official classic cruisers The main threats to a smooth Cruise car mavens disregarded rainstorms and strut their stuff during what organizers are alcohol and knucklehead driving.

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