Police Chief Dan Hughes was surprised this week to find a group of about 50 young children outside the police station. The YMCA and Boys and Girls Club members stopped by to thank officers. 
Waving “thank you” signs, one child called officers “the coolest and nicest people on Earth.”
The children also delivered a stack of thank you cards. Savanna, age 8, wrote: “If we didn’t have you (burglars) would be everywhere and we wouldn’t have Boys and Girls Club.” Added Kevin, also 8: “Thank you for keeping crime away from our neighborhood.”
The compliments go a long in way in uplifting morale both within the department and the community, police officials said.
Hughes came out to thank the group and received a raucous reception.
“These children are the future of our city and to be here to build a working relationship with them as role models is an important aspect of our jobs,” he said.
Hughes posed for photos with the children, and police officials plan to frame and post some of the signs around the police department.
-by Anthony F. Irwin
