Students at Bayview Avenue Elementary School were the latest group to participate in the Freeport Police Department's Adopt-A-Cop program when fourth graders attended an in-school pizza luncheon hosted by the local precinct and the school PTA. "This is about cops giving back to the community on their own time," said Officer Steven Rampanelli, the coordinator of this Freeport Police Department PBA program. Before lunch was served, the students performed a song of appreciation for the visiting police regiment.
"This is just another way the Freeport police are reaching out to the community - by introducing ourselves to the children and developing relationships that will hopefully last a long time," said School Board trustee and Freeport police officer Mike Pomerico. A total of 38 officers participate in this program, which reaches out to the students of all four elementary schools (Bayview Avenue, Archer Street, Leo F. Giblyn, and New Visions) to foster an ongoing cooperative relationship between the students and local law enforcement that will endure as the students continue their education. A huge end-of-year picnic is in the works to keep this relationship growing.
