Fairfield Cops Use Magic, Puppets To Reach Out To Young Students

ESSEX COUNTY, NJ — The annual “Officer Phil” safety program returned to Stevenson School in Fairfield earlier this month, bringing smiles to some young faces while also imparting some important safety tips.

According to the Fairfield Police Department, the April 5 event used puppets and magic tricks to reach out to students in kindergarten through third grade. Topics included:

• “staying low to the ground in a fire”
• “how and when to call 9-1-1”
• “stranger danger”

The program is funded by donations from local businesses, the FPD stated.

“The partnership between the police department, the school and especially a number of our local businesses has resulted in an annual safety presentation that gives children important safety information in an extremely fun way” Chief Anthony Manna said. “While the children laugh and are entertained at this event, it is also apparent that the safety messages are getting through which is our primary goal.”

• See related article: Livingston Musicians Help Kids 'Come Out Of Shells' (VIDEOS)

The Fairfield Police Department thanked the following businesses for their support of the “Officer Phil” program this year:

• Euro Auto Works
• Prismatic Development Corporation
• Med-Care
• FunTime Junction
• Mountain View Auto Body
• ROSA-LY PIEROGI
• Fisher Auto Transmission
• Fairfield Hand Car Wash
• Luce, Schwab & Kase, Inc.
• Structural Stone Co., Inc.
• The Industrial Brush Co., Inc.
• Monster Mini Golf
• DiGarbeile, McNulty, Campanella & Co., LLC
• Garden on the Wall
• Ralston's Inc./Fairfield Sunoco
• Mediterranean Tile & Marble
• Lifesavers, Inc.
• Alan G. Cruse, Inc.
• Criger Service Inc.
• Fairfield Service
• Uniq Concepts
• Ned Stevens Gutter Cleaning

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