Wednesday, October 29, 1997
Officers autograph cards for Fannin youth
By TANYA EISERER / Staff Writer
Abilene Police Chief Melvin Martin might not be as well known
as former baseball pitcher Nolan Ryan or Houston Rockets guard
Clyde Drexler.
However, Martin was practically mobbed Tuesday afternoon by
children at a trading card signing party at the Fannin Boys and
Girls Club at 1902 Shelton St.
"I should have brought the whole box," Martin said,
as the children piled in line to get one of his cards. "I
just reached in my stack and brought a handful."
Ten officers and a police dispatcher also autographed cards
for the enthusiastic horde who gathered round.
"(Trading cards) help break the barrier between kids and
police officers," said Detective Dwight Kinney. "It
shows them that we are their friends."
Kinney's card depicts him astride a bicycle in front of the
old Taylor County courthouse. Kinney is a member of the department's
bicycle squad.
"They look up to officers," said Joyce Kidwell, a
Hardin-Simmons University social work student who volunteers at
the club. "They're always excited when they get extra attention."
Decole Harden, a second grader, was determined to get as many
of the cards as possible.
"I'm going to hang these up," she said.
Officer Joe Tauer, who did all the photography for the project,
said children have "been eating the cards up" since
they were first introduced more than a year ago.
Only 27 officers had trading cards last October. Now, 90 officers
have cards and more are on the way.
"I think they've got a genuine interest in the police
and a curiosity about the police," Tauer said. "I have
had kids who were afraid of the police. Now, they're collecting
the cards.
"Some of the children in this room are future law-abiding
citizens and some future criminals. If we can help them go down
the right path, then I think it is well worth it."
Many organizations and businesses have paid the $110 it takes
to sponsor an officer. Each officer receives 1,000 cards, Tauer
said.
"It's still growing," Tauer said. "I'm still
looking for sponsors for officers who don't have cards but want
them."
For more information or to sponsor an officer, contact Sgt.
Brad Wilson in community relations at 676-6523.
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Abilene Reporter-News / Texnews / E.W. Scripps Publications
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