What would our community be
like without the presence and actions of our Police Officers?
Try to imagine our society
functioning each day without a body of law enforcement…try to imagine
waking up to a world where criminals run rampant and the citizens have only
themselves to rely on for protection…try to understand what that world would be
like.…
Luckily, that is not a scenario we
will have to put to the test. Here in Plainfield, we have a dedicated
police force that works tirelessly to ensure the safety of all Plainfield
citizens. Click on the link to view the Plainfield Police Division's website,
which contains detailed information on the division's bureaus, on public
safety, on crime prevention, and more: Plainfield
Police Division. While appreciating the efforts they make on our behalf
each day, we recognize that it is physically impossible for them to be
everywhere at all times, which is why it’s important to have strong
bonds between the community and law enforcement. It is not just important,
but it is vital for the continued well-being of Plainfield that these bonds are
developed and nurtured and our police officers are seen as community
partners.
With this in mind, our local law
enforcement body has created numerous outreach and community-oriented
initiatives to strengthen ties and create stronger bonds. Our police force
has never been as interactive with our community as they are today. Due to the
strengthening of our Division-Wide Community Policing philosophy, our
officers provide directed patrols to various areas of the community on a daily
basis, where they walk and positively engage the community. The Command
Staff, including the Director of Public Safety, Carl Riley, is also a part of
this initiative and participates on a weekly basis.
The Police force is actively engaged
with programs like DARE and, throughout the school year, participated in
several career day activities at various schools around Plainfield. Currently
underway is the Summer Fun with Plainfield First Responders, which
started on June 20th and which runs until July
1st, from 12 noon to 1:30pm at the Plainfield Public Library. This
is a collaborative effort between Police, Fire and EMS to positively
engage our Plainfield youth and entails quality interaction from both
parties which will ultimately lead
to better awareness among our youth and encourage strong community spirit.
Another initiative is the Queen
City Mentoring Academy, which will run from July
18th – August 5th at Hubbard
Middle School. This quality program, expanded from last year, allows
approximately 50 of our young people to be mentored by police officers, again
offering quality time with good, solid role models.
In the spirit of engaging on a social
level with residents, the Police Benevolent Association will be
hosting a Community Cookout in each ward at a
park location. The first one will be on Thursday June 30th, at Hannah Atkins Park, from 5:00pm to
9:00pm.
Plainfield, the closer and more
interactive we are with our law enforcement officers, the more effective they
can be at doing their jobs of serving and protecting us. They are our family
members, neighbors, and friends. They want to enjoy the same quality of life
that we do. They want to live in a safe and secure environment. They want their
children to feel safe walking the streets, and they are as dedicated as
any one of us to doing whatever it takes to make that happen.
If we are to move ahead and truly
build in the spirit of One Plainfield with One future, then law enforcement
MUST be an integral part of making that happen…each collaborative and
cooperative effort we participate in makes our great City that much safer.
This community
oneness is vital for our Plainfield to grow and move ahead.
