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WIU Office of Public Safety Police Officer Liz Henley shows the children at the WIU Infant and Preschool Center the new police cruiser.
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WIU Office of Public Safety Police Sergeant Derek Watts assists one of the children from the PACT (Parent and Child Together) Head Start Child Care Center.
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Members of the Fraternal Order of the Police No. 169 and WIU's Office of Public Safety pose with the students at the WIU Infant and Preschool Center.
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WIU Police Officers Zach Franklin, Liz Henley and Mckenzie Taylor and Police Sergeant Derek Watts pose with the children from the PACT Head Start Child Care Center.
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WIU Office of Public Safety Donates Pint-Sized Police Cars

May 13, 2016

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MACOMB, IL - - Members of the Western Illinois University Fraternal Order of the Police (FOP) No. 169 came up with a great way to give back to the community and continue to build on the relationships they have been establishing with the local day care children—donate Little Tykes Cozy Coupes so the children enrolled can drive their own pint-sized police cars. The only problem was … Little Tykes discontinued its police car model.

The officers decided to get creative. They purchased two Ride & Rescue Cozy Coupes, the fire truck model. They had them repainted (by WIU Facilities Management Autobody Technician Todd Danner) and even created police stickers to match the Western Illinois University police cars.

"Sergeant Derek Watts came up with the idea to get cars for the preschools and have them painted to match our police cars. We all loved the idea and decided right away that we wanted to do that," said WIU Police Officer Liz Henley. "It was a great experience presenting the children with their new 'cruiser' at both of the schools. They were all very excited and could not wait to get in it. It's always fun to see their eyes light up with joy. It was a great way to start building relationships at a young age. We enjoyed it just as much as they did."

WIU Office of Public Safety officers visited the WIU Infant and Preschool Center and PACT (Parent and Child Together) Head Start Child Care Center to present the students with their new cars. The FOP also donated bike helmets to both centers, which they purchase with money raised through its annual fundraiser.

For more information, contact the WIU FOP No. 169 at FOP169@wiu.edu. To make a donation, send a check, payable to WIU FOP No. 169, P.O. Box 233, Macomb, IL 61455, or donations may be dropped off at the WIU Office of Public Safety (Mowbray Hall).

Posted By: University Communications (U-Communications@wiu.edu)
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