plained that there is much more to their job than just catching
bad guys, it was time to go outside and have some fun. James
and Cirillo set up an agility course so that the officers and students could share an active team-building experience. They
also invited another first-grade class, taught by Laura Floersch,
to join in the activity. Officer Chang and Jackson rose to the occasion, cheering the kids on and encouraging them not to give
up.
“Their enthusiasm about being out there cheering on the
kids kept up the entire time,” Cirillo noted. “The kids really
needed that encouragement.”
It was a celebratory moment for the teachers to watch their
students persevere through the obstacles while the officers’
cheers, high fives and thumbs-ups kept the kids going even as
they grew tired. The feeling of accomplishment is very familiar
for Cirillo and James, who constantly prove to their class that
anything is possible.
“The interaction that took place within our class–it has (never) been done,” said James. “It was nice to know that maybe this
could start more of a dialogue.”
Advocacy is one of the main goals of Officer Chang and Officer Jackson’s involvement with the department’s Community Resource Unit. Recognizing law enforcement as people that
help, rather than hurt, is a vital ambition of having a presence
in schools and town functions.
“We have been made out to be the villains,” confides Patrolman Jackson. “This gave us a really good opportunity to go out
there and show the community that we’re regular people. We’re
fathers; we’re mothers; we’re brothers and sisters. We have our
own lives and we’re friendly people.” d
Police Officers Keith Jackson (left) and Jason Chang answer students’ questions during their visit to James Madison Primary School.
www.njcopsmagazine.com
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