'P.C.' WILL GIVE POLICE NEW PUBLIC RELATIONS TOOL

Members of the Jackson Noon Optimist Club gave the Jackson Police Department a new tool to help build rapport with area youngsters last week.

The Noon Optimists presented the department with "P.C., the Patrol Car," a battery-operated remote control car with a number of computer-generated functions.

"This will be real useful," said Capt. Robert Hull of the Jackson PD. "We do a lot of presentations and give a lot of tours of the Police Department. We also have several events in the park that can utilize it."

The car has been used by the Optimists during the past year and has proven popular. An adult with a microphone can stand out of site and speak through the car to delighted children. The adult can also hear children's questions or comments and carry on actual conversations with them. (This is especially effective in keeping children from opening panels or potentially damaging the car.)

"We thought it would be used more by the Police," said Penny Johns, of the Noon Optimist Board of Directors. "We're hoping it gets more hours of use with them."

The presentation was made in honor of Respect for Law Week, May 1-5. P.C. is intended as an aid in teaching children about safety and police personnel are friendly.

"He's been invited to grade schools," Johns said. "He'll go up and down the halls and get students' attention."

The $6,000 car was striped by the Optimists and "Police" was added to it. In addition to the speaking feature, P.C. has flashing lights, can wink, has working headlights and can play a musical safety tape. He can go forward, backward or in a circle, all by remote control.

P.C. will not be rushed into immediate use. The programs operating him are complicated and will require studying. Due to his value and fragility, an officer must be attending P.C. at all times, when he is being used.

"We'll sit down, play with it and get used to it," Hull said. "Then we'll work up a program."

P.C. is expected to be in service by early summer.

The Optimist International Respect For Law Week was developed by former FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover and Carl Bowen, a one-time Optimist International president. These men developed the program in 1965, to encourage a compelling appreciation for law enforcement personnel. Respect For Law Week is the third most popular Optimist program, with more than 1,500 clubs participating last year.