In this issue:
- Lawrence officer named ‘School Resource Officer of the Year’
- Install. Inspect. Protect.
- Lawrence Police Department News
- Gas prices affecting your bottom line? Check out these great gas-saving tips!
Lawrence officer named ‘School Resource Officer of the Year’
South Middle School SRO lauded for compassion and respect
Police officers are more than peace keepers. Sometimes they are mentors, confidants or coaches. For one Lawrence police officer, he fills all of these roles on a daily basis and was just named ‘School Resource Officer of the Year’ for Kansas.
Officer Myrone Grady, a School Resource Officer for South Middle School, has served the Lawrence community as an officer since 2003; he began his duties as an SRO in 2008. Grady was nominated for the award by the administration at South Middle School.
South Middle School Assistant Principal, Lynn Harrod, wrote the following as part of Grady’s nomination: "He is committed to our school on many levels. He is a visible figure that is always available for our students, regardless of their personal background."
Prior to joining the Lawrence Police Department, Officer Grady coached college football at Fort Hays State University and the University of Nebraska-Kearney. Officer Grady currently serves as the 8th grade football coach at South Middle School.
School Resource Officers serve as a resource to all members of the community by providing education, intervention, counseling and deterrence of criminal activity. The City of Lawrence provides funding for the School Resource Officer program at Lawrence’s two high schools and four middle schools. In 2011, approximately $550,000 is dedicated to the program. Funding programs such as this are an example of the City Commission’s commitment to public safety and support of positive law enforcement interactions within the community.
SROs are committed to working with educators and administrators to maintain an atmosphere where teachers feel safe to teach and students feel safe to learn. School Resource Officers work closely with school social workers, counselors and administrators to ensure students have access to all available resources.
Officer Grady graduated from Fort Hays State University in 1997 with a Bachelor of Science Degree and in 2001 with a Masters in Political Science and Justice Studies, also from Fort Hays State University. Officer Grady lives in Lawrence and is married to his wife, Libby. They have two children.
Install. Inspect. Protect.
Smoke alarms save lives – have your checked yours recently?
Every year, more than 3,000 people die in home fires in the United States; most of whom are in homes without a working smoke alarm. To prevent these deaths, the U.S. Fire Administration is sponsoring a campaign called Install. Inspect. Protect. to raise awareness about the importance of properly installed smoke alarms.
The Install. Inspect. Protect. campaign is aimed at encouraging Americans to practice fire safety by 1) installing and maintaining smoke alarms and residential fire sprinklers, which can help save the lives of residents and fire fighters, 2) practicing fire escape plans, and 3) performing a home safety walk-through to remove fire hazards from the home.
When both smoke alarms and fire sprinklers are present in a home, the risk of dying in a fire is reduced by 82%, when compared to a residence without either. According to the National Fire Protection Association, between 2003-2006, almost two-thirds of home fire deaths resulted from fires in homes with no smoke alarms or no working smoke alarms.
Remember to Install. Inspect. Protect … Smoke Alarms Save Lives.
August 2011 Lawrence Police Department Recruiting Class: Thirteen new officers joined the ranks of the Lawrence Police Department recently. Several members of the new class are bilingual, have military backgrounds, or previous law enforcement experiences.
Lawrence Police Department News
Working together to create successful neighborhoods
The Police Department’s Community Services Division has two officers, known as Neighborhood Resource Officers (NROs), dedicated to acting as a liaison between the Lawrence Police Department, the community and a variety of city agencies. NROs provide positive, proactive interactions within the community and assist with public education, crime prevention, neighborhood-specific problems, and coordination of other city services to ensure a professional response to the citizens of Lawrence.
The officers work with citizens, civic groups, schools, and property owners in organizing and evaluating effective crime prevention programs. Neighborhood problems and crimes can affect the overall quality of life in a neighborhood and require repeated patrol response. Problems including graffiti, disturbing the peace or disorderly conduct may require additional attention from law enforcement that the NROs can provide. To contact the NRO division, email nro@lkpd.org.
Gas prices affecting your bottom line? Check out these great gas-saving tips!
Riding the city’s new hybrid buses is a great way to save on gas costs. Besides saving the city between 30-to-60-percent of fuel costs, the hybrid buses are a great way to get from place to place in Lawrence. Here are a few other tips to save at the pump:
Relax. Aggressive driving (speeding, rapid acceleration and braking) wastes gas. It can lower your gas mileage by 33-percent at highway speeds and by 5-percent around town.
Stop excessive idling. Idling can use a quarter to a half gallon of fuel per hour, depending on engine size and air conditioner use. Turn off your engine when your vehicle is parked. It only takes a few seconds worth of fuel to restart your vehicle.
Keep your tires inflated. You can improve your gas mileage by up to 3.3-percent by keeping your tires inflated to the proper pressure. Properly inflated tires are safer and last longer.
Get a tune up. Fixing a car that is noticeably out of tune or has failed an emissions test can improve its gas mileage by an average of 4-percent, though results vary based on the kind of repair and how well it is done.
Combine those trips. Combining errands into one trip saves you time and money. Several short trips taken from a cold start can use twice as much fuel as a longer multipurpose trip covering the same distance when the engine is warm.
Take advantage of carpools and ride-share programs. You can cut your weekly fuel costs in half and save wear on your car if you take turns driving with other commuters.
Shop smart. Check www.fueleconomy.gov for gas mileage estimates for 1984-2012 model year cars. Selecting which vehicle to purchase is the most important fuel economy decision you’ll make.
