Schools, cops and safety

When I was a teenager, I worked in a movie theater. It was the policy of the theater to allow the police in free. This was an act of charity but just as important for security. Occasionally when we had rowdy people, it only took a second for a cop car to pull up, although just as often there was one in the theater. All it cost the theater was a box of popcorn.

I propose that schools should provide free lunch or a cup of coffee for our police when they are in the area or on their lunch hour or break. This could promote trust, friendliness, and understanding. Also, the police would become familiar with the layout of the school for future use. It is a win-win situation. If nothing else, it does give pause to anyone who wants to create trouble.

After a while, the presence of the police would be quite normal. The cost would be a cup of coffee or a sandwich.

Dushan Lipensky

Wheaton