LOCAL POLICE TO PRODUCE TV PROGRAM

The Cape Girardeau Police Department hopes to have a monthly, 30-minute informational television show as early as May, Chief Rick Hetzel said.

The show will be broadcast on local public access Channel 5, Hetzel said. The police are looking to give the show a name. Top contenders are "CGPD Blue," "Cape Blue," "Behind the Badge," "It's the Law," "The Thin Blue Line and Cape's Finest."

Southeast Missouri State University professors and students will film the program, Hetzel said.

The show will focus on several segments using public service announcements as commercials. A community forum segment will answer mail sent from viewers. Another segment will spotlight employees and their jobs. Another segment will focus on developments the police may be working on. A final segment will be a Crime Stoppers update, spotlighting what crimes are warranting rewards.

Sgt. Carl Kinnison will moderate the program.

"It's another aspect of the police department building a partnership with the community," Hetzel said. "We want to get feedback from the community. There's a lot of good ideas out there. We also want to dispel some myths that people see on TV."