Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

The Winchester Police Department is active in Clark County Public Schools in a number of ways. 

Among them are having a therapy dog, Abe, going to schools and visiting with youth, and the newly implemented Fall Break Bag program. 

Yet recently, they were active in another way. 

Winchester PD held the 911 Kids for Pizza Party, celebrating the program’s successes. 

“All [third] graders in the Clark County school systems are eligible to participate in [a] coloring contest. We contact each elementary school with a third-grade class. Once we have taught our class, we invite them to participate in the coloring contest,” said Winchester PD Communications Supervisor, noting that dispatchers Crystal Martin and Sarah Miller taught this year’s classes. “Once the winners have been selected, we invite all agencies we dispatch to attend the party…[a]lso, in attendance [is] therapy dog Abe and…Cell Phone Sally.” 

The 911 for Kids Program was started in 2006 by the Kentucky Office of Homeland Security and the Kentucky 911 Services Board. 

As Reed mentioned, changes over time led to the implementation of Cell Phone Sally, a blowup costumed character who serves as an instructional aid. 

“We use Cell Phone Sally…to help instruct the children when to call 9-1-1 [and] what to do when you call 9-1-1. We also educate them on what is an emergency and is not an emergency,” she said. “Also, [we teach] what information they must know when they call. 9-1-1 is not a game, and prank calls are never [okay].” 

At the end of each class, goodie bags are handed out. 

Those working with the program have much they hope the students will take away from the experience. 

“We hope that they learn to never be scared to call 9-1-1 [and] that someone is always here and ready to answer their call,” Reed added. “If they are unsure if it’s an emergency, they can call 9-1-1, and we will help them with whatever resource they need. We also hope that seeing our dispatchers teach the classes will help them to remember who is on the other side of that phone call.” 

As for the coloring contest, which helps highlight what students have learned through the program, the first-place winner has their coloring sheet featured on the front page of the department’s pocket calendar. They also earn a $50 gift certificate to Walmart with a Certificate of Achievement. 

Certainly, not least, they earn a pizza party for their whole class. 

This year’s party featured a supply of ten large one-topping pizzas and Ale8, donated by Maka Mia Pizza and the native bottling company. 

Griffin Brashear of Mrs. Caitlin Miller’s third-grade class at Shearer Elementary School was the first-place winner. 

Second and third place winners have their drawings featured in the back of the pocket calendar, with second place gaining a $30 gift card to Walmart and third place gaining a $20 gift card. 

Asked what she enjoyed the most, Reed provided a response. 

“What I enjoy the most is seeing how excited the children get when they see all the first responders and all the different vehicles they get to explore,” she said. “They love petting Abe and high-fiving Cell Phone Sally.”