California Police Chief- Fall 2013 CPCA_2017_Winter Magazine Final | Page 25
even to adults, in a way the children will see as fun. By the individual departments that participate. While our
stress on the kids before they endure the stress of a surgical bears to sick and injured children and providing other
using the cars instead of gurneys, the hope is to ease the
procedure. In 2016, coloring books that are branded for the
Teddy Bear Drive began to be distributed to kids. Gaming
carts equipped with electronic gaming consoles for use
by the kids have also been funded through the efforts of
law enforcement and the Teddy Bear Drive. Also provided
are Night-Night carts that are pushed through a couple
of the floors with Chapstick, ear plugs, coffee and tea for
the families, some books to read and coloring books. To
support families whose child passed away at the hospital,
bereavement memory boxes are supplied and weighted
bears, similar in weight to that of a child are also available
to assist in the grieving process. The Teddy Bear Drive
funds these supplies that are managed by bereavement
counselors at the hospital.
profession is struggling with its public image, delivering
resources helps to humanizes law enforcement officers.
We are human beings; members of the community and
we do more than write citations and arrest people. We are
also involved in our communities in a variety of ways.
These types of programs generate great public interest
and collaboration. Officer Brian Hardy’s (ret.) long term
vision continues to be the expansion of the Teddy Bear
Drive concept to other regions that have hospitals that cater
primarily to children, especially children with long term
medical struggles.
For more information about the San Diego Regional Teddy
Bear Drive, please contact Chief Jon Froomin 619-522-7355 or
[email protected]. ■
The annual drive to collect new stuffed animals for
the patients involves officers engaging local businesses
to display collection bins. Local radio and television
stations provide advertising for collection events and
collect donations from within their organization. In some
communities, competitions are organized in local schools
and the winning class get a free meal from a sponsoring
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restaurant. In San Diego County, Chick-Fil-A supplies
those class parties.
Although there are a couple of corporate tie-ins
with the Teddy Bear Drive, they are low-key. Chick-fil-A
Restaurant locations throughout San Diego Country assist
by accepting donated bears and rewarding donors with a
free meal.
The Teddy Bear Drive has developed a relationship
with the San Diego Gulls Hockey Team, which has an
interesting component to it. During a home game, fans
can participate in a Teddy Bear Toss. Typically, this occurs
after the home team scores their first goal. Fans are then
encouraged to throw their stuffed animals (in plastics bags)
on to the ice. The players, staff and law enforcement collect
the bears for delivery to patients.
This and other community outreach events are of
importance to law enforcement as a profession and to
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