THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, August 28, 1994 TAG: 9408280082
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY MIKE KNEPLER, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: Long : 120 lines
Police have some new tactics to make crime-ridden streets safe for children.
Dodge ball, kickball and hula hoops.
Like the other day, when a blue-and-white patrol car and a police van pulled up on a grassy lot off Campostella Road and four husky policemen piled out.
``It's just for a little game of kickball,'' Sgt. Wally Driskell said as he beckoned to several startled youngsters.
A few moments later, the children were divided into play groups. And veteran officers, like Driskell, scampered with them across the field.
``What we're trying to do is improve our image with the children, develop positive relationships,'' Driskell said after being knocked out of a dodge ball game. ``We've also learned that the way to the heart of the parents is through their children.''
For that, police come well prepared. ``We also carry jump ropes, hopscotch games, whiffleball equipment and footballs,'' Driskell said. ``The whole program is supposed to be portable and spontaneous.''
This simple strategy goes by the name ``Play Streets.'' It's a pilot program this summer, and Police Chief Melvin C. High said he hopes to repeat it next year.
High, in his second year as Norfolk's top police officer, brought Play Streets here from Washington, where he was assistant chief.
The idea, High said, is to have police mix with youngsters ``in a nonadversarial way'' in hopes of building better relationships.
In many troubled neighborhoods, children have ``only seen the police in adversarial situations, such as when we're making arrests,'' he said.
The Play Streets name also contains a bit of symbolism and, for High, a wish about how neighborhood streets ought to be: safe enough for children to play on.
High's notions seemed to hit the mark for many kids playing with police last week. Several children said their only previous contact with police came while witnessing arrests in their neighborhoods, sometimes involving close relatives.
That's why 9-year-old Chaunce Wilson, a fourth-grader from Diggs Town, said he was surprised that police were in the community this time to play games.
``I never played with the police before and I'm having fun,'' Chaunce said. ``I always thought they were mean. I was scared.''
While Play Streets attracts mostly children under age 13, the games sometimes get so large that older teens and adults get pulled in.
``I've never seen police play with kids before,'' said Rosa Reid, who shepherded five grandchildren across busy Campostella Road to get into the action. ``I think it's real nice. It keeps the kids out of trouble.''
Most police assigned to Play Streets are from Driskell's 18-member crime-prevention unit. Occasionally, other officers join in during breaks from regular duties.
The Eureka Lodge, a fraternal group, donated $1,000 for some equipment and soft drinks.
For most of the summer, the crime-prevention unit was assisted by several paid teenage summer workers. Sometimes, though, it seemed that the teens were leading the way, Driskell said.
``I think they've helped us learn to look at things from a different perspective,'' Driskell said. ``We've learned to do summer activities with a greater enthusiasm because of our summer workers.''
Stephanie Council, 18, a senior at Lake Taylor High School, was one of eight summer workers in the crime-prevention unit.
As a resident of the Diggs Town public housing community, Council said Play Streets provides a good experience for neighborhood children.
``It gives kids an opportunity to play and have fun instead of sitting around the house or getting into trouble,'' she said.
Council said she, too, gained from the program, changing her attitude about police.
``I never had anything against them,'' she said. ``But I learned that they are fun to be with, not mean all the time.
``They're valuable. They're helpful to talk to. They come when you need them. I fell in love with them.''
Her summer experience, Council said, also motivated her to try to improve her school grades so she can achieve her goal of becoming a lawyer.
Ironically, most mixed reactions to Play Streets came from police.
``At first, many of the officers weren't enthusiastic about the idea,'' said Driskell, who came to crime prevention this year after more than two decades in regular law enforcement.
For some, it meant being pulled away from crime-prevention duties such as organizing neighborhood block security programs.
But police said they were amazed over how children responded. ``They come up and talk with us and hold our hands and tell us things,'' Driskell said. ``It kind of brings tears to your eyes.''
Chief High says he understands the concerns of his crime-prevention officers being pulled from normal duties. He said he will take the issue into account when modifying Play Streets for next summer.
Another problem was that police could not fully implement the program. High wanted power to temporarily close selected streets in high-crime neighborhoods and organize games on the roadways.
However, there were legal issues over giving adequate public notice for blocking roadways.
A draft ordinance from the city attorney's office did not meet all of his objectives, so High hopes to have a better street-closing policy for next summer.
``Spontaneity gives you an advantage,'' he said. ``So I think we clearly need to be able to do a lot of things on a spontaneous basis.''
High did not attend any games this summer but promises to participate next year.
His specialty? Kickball? Hula hoops?
``Well,'' he said, ``probably being a fan, just doing a lot of watching.'' ILLUSTRATION: JOSEPH JOHN KOTLOWSKI/Staff photo
ABOVE: Norfolk police officer J.R. Hammond plays tackle football
with kids as part of the Play Streets program, which started this
summer.
LEFT: Children hold on to the hand of Sgt. Wally Driskell. ``What
we're trying to do is improve our image with the children, develop
positive relationships,'' Driskell says.
Officer Carl Lee helps 5-year-old Alec Nelson climb safely down a
backstop during a kickball game on Chester Street.
by CNB