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High Five Fridays
It’s 7:55 a.m., early for mob. Officer Chris Tooley stands calmly as the sidewalk fills and a problem approaches.
“Can you fix my backpack?” a girl says, a loose strap in hand.
It takes a lot to get a police officer to take a knee, but a tiny damsel in distress will do that. Tooley drops to the ground and attaches the strap, saving the day before rising to face hundreds more students flowing past him into Spring Creek Elementary School. But this is why he’s surrounded on a Friday morning.
To make connections.
Tooley and Lt. Bradley Smail stopped by Spring Creek for High Five Fridays, a new State College Police Department initiative modeled after similar police programs nationwide. Each Friday, if they’re available, officers travel to a different elementary school within their jurisdiction and greet arriving students.
“It’s good to be here because obviously the schools are a priority for us,” Smail says. “We want the kids to feel safe and their parents to know that they’re safe.”
The appearances continue the State College Area School District’s strong relationship with local police. School resource officers funded by the district are assigned to the State High campus and the two middle schools to provide constant security and rapid responses to both minor incidents and emergencies.
At elementary schools, police check in while on patrol — comforting stops but not the same engagement that the school resource officers have. High Five Fridays aims for more consistent interactions between the police and elementary families to build trust and inspire confidence.
“Our philosophy is: You can’t be apart from the community. You have to be a part of it,” says State College Police Capt. Chris Fishel, the guiding force behind the local program.
SCASD Superintendent Bob O’Donnell praised High Five Fridays as “another example of our longstanding partnership with local law enforcement to maintain a steady presence at our schools, which aligns with our top priority of keeping students safe.”
“We appreciate officers taking time to greet our youngest children,” he says. “It builds an important rapport with them, and it helps them start their day on a positive note.”
While at Spring Creek, Smail and Tooley performed a veritable concerto of positivity. Greetings and compliments poured forth, a warm reception to counter the morning chill.
A surprised glance upward sparked: “Good morning! Are you ready to start the day?”
A furry wolf hat prompted: “That’s cool. Does that keep you warm?”
A timid approach provoked: “You can go ahead. I’m not going to stop you! Have a great day!”
Spring Creek Principal Todd Dishong typically handles this routine without assistance, but he didn’t mind the company, thanking the officers and saying, “Good to see you. Glad you’re here.” He hopes they helped parents dropping off children realize that a cruiser in the parking lot doesn’t necessarily mean trouble.
In fact, on Friday mornings, it could be a welcome sight.
By Chris Rosenblum
Photos by Nabil K. Mark