By Charles Owens
For Bluefield Daily Telegraph
Bluefield — Officers with the Bluefield Police Department are once again giving out free popsicles to area children.
The city’s Copsicle Patrol was launched last year with a stated goal to “protect and serve ice cream” to children. The effort has restarted in recent weeks with ice cream being distributed to area children, particularly during the recent heat wave.
Det. Sgt. Kevin Ross is primarily handling the popsicle distribution effort this summer, but he is being assisted by other officers as well, according to Bluefield Police Chief Dennis Dillow.
“We are just trying to hit the different neighborhoods and playgrounds, any events that are coming up that the kids are going to be at,” Dillow said. “It’s just a little added something that we like to do for the children. But you know, who doesn’t like a popsicle when it’s hot outside.”
“I mean we’ve had some generous donations from the public of popsicles, and if anybody wants to drop some off all they have do is drop them off at the police department, and we will be happy to distribute them.” — Bluefield Police Chief Dennis Dillow on officers giving out ice cream.
The officers have already distributed popsicles to children at several locations, including East River Park. Officers have also participated in other outreach efforts in recent days at Bowen Field, Straley Elementary, Greater Mt. Zion Pentecostal Church and other events.
The Copsicle Cruiser also was at the city’s Fourth of July celebration where officers gave out ice cream before a torrential downpour, which included thunder and lightning, that forced the city to cancel the remainder of the holiday celebration.
Felcia Holcomb, executive assistant to the city manager, said there was a large crowd at the Fourth of July event, including many vendors, before the storm hit.
But the officers don’t just distribute ice cream at scheduled events. They also give out popsicles whenever they see children outside, according to Dillow.
“He (Ross) does it randomly and he will put some in the car when he’s patrolling and he will just go around and see kids and just give out popsicles,” Dillow said.
Several new officers at the police department also are helping to give out ice cream to children.
“We’ve got some new guys that are going to be helping him,” Dillow said. “I think one of our newest guys, Taylor, and then there is Hughes and Simpkins. I think they’ve all been helping out. And Justice, he’s my newest guy. They’ve got a picture of him with a popsicle on one of the rides (on Facebook). He just goes out randomly at times too and gives them to kids.”
The Copsicle Patrol is made possible by donations from the community.
“I mean we’ve had some generous donations from the public of popsicles, and if anybody wants to drop some off all they have do is drop them off at the police department, and we will be happy to distribute them,” Dillow said.
The ultimate goal of the Copsicle Patrol is to give area children a positive first impression of law enforcement.
In an earlier interview with the Daily Telegraph, Ross said he enjoyed working with area children and giving away free ice cream.
“It’s kind of funny because they know me as Officer Copsicle,” Ross said in the earlier interview. “That’s what they call me. At the end of the day, it’s not what they call me. It’s the fact that they can come talk to me. If they feel comfortable calling me Mr. Copsicle and come talk to me I’m fine with it. If giving a kid a popsicle makes him feel safe or makes him want to come talk to us, or gives him a different outlook on police work, I’ll give out popsicles everyday. At the end of the day, it’s all about kids smiling, and that is really what it is about to me.”
Read more from Bluefield Daily Telegraph, here.
