Think safety, kids
Published on January 29th, 2003
Excitement rippled through the air as each of the 22 pairs of hands rose up in the air, and began to speak in unison.
“I promise to obey my teachers, my parents, and to uphold all the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts,” said the 22 kids in the Mrs. Mueller’s first grade class at the South School.
The kids all then pumped their fist with excitement and grinned with genuine glee as public Safety Officer Larry Rotondi went around the room placing “badge” stickers on each of the kids.
“By the power vested in me, you’re all junior officers in the Stoneham Police Department,” said Rotondi.
This has been a pretty routine scene for Rotondi in the last several years as he has become more comfortable with his prominent role as a public safety officer. He visits the schools in Stoneham, and talks with the kids about stranger danger, answering the phone when parents aren’t home, safety in the snow and cold of the currently harsh wintertime, and bus safety.
“I’m always available when the teachers or schools need me to come down, and talk to the kids,” said Rotondi, who is armed with coloring books, stickers and stuffed animals as he ambles into a given classroom. “The kids always get a big kick out of being named junior police officers, and it gives the kids and the teacher a little break from their school day.”
Many locals know Rotondi through his weekly columns about public safety in the Stoneham Independent, but there is much that goes on behind the scenes.
“It’s very important that departments like Stoneham do as much community policing as possible,” said Rotondi. “I’m trying to be someone that’s both an officer and somebody the kids can approach. Talking to classes like this and making a difference in kid’s lives is what it’s all about.”
On today's menu for safety talk are stranger danger and answering the phone among others. Most of the first graders seem to be pretty well schooled on “thinking safety”. but Rotondi still reinforces the basics.
Rotondi explains to the kids who is and isn’t a stranger, and presents them hypothetical situations that most parents would dread.
“What if a grown-up drives up to you and says that they lost their puppy, and asks you to go to the park and help them find their puppy,” as Rotondi holds up a white stuffed animal puppy in the air.
A disjointed chorus of “No’s” pepper the response to Rotondi’s question, and the 25 year veteran asks the kids what they would do next.
“I would scream for help, and run home as fast as I can,” said Jarred Penney.
“I would go to a grown-up that I know, and tell them what happened,” said John Gallager.
Rotondi praised all the answers, and corrected the kids who were slightly off track, but also provided the kids with other options.
“How about going to a place with a lot of adults like a mall or a store, or town hall,” said Rotondi. “It’s good to get to a place where there’s a lot of people, and adults that want to help you.”
Rotondi advised the kids against answering the phone if their parents weren’t home, and to never tell anyone that you are home alone.
“Parents shouldn’t ever let you kids be home alone, but they might be out starting the car or there might be an emergency,” said Rotondi.
Rotondi then passed out AAA coloring books for the kids that illustrated safety, and did the unthinkable. He found a way to get the kids even more enthused than when he swore them in as junior officers.
“When it gets a little nicer and if you’re teacher thinks it’s okay, then you can come down and visit the police station,” said Rotondi. “We’ll show you where we lock up the bad guys, and where we do our day-to-day work as police officers.”
Smiles and assorted oohs and aahs from the class pretty much assured a spring visit hosted by their friendly, neighborhood safety officer.
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