Police officers to get new partners

By Derrick Williams
Thisweek Newspapers

Sieben, Grose, Von Holtum and Carey attorney Art Kosieradzki has partnered with Lakeville Police and Crime Prevention Officer Kelli Coughlin to procure donated, new stuffed animals that Lakeville Police officers will give to children involved in difficult situations.

It's an unfortunate reality that children are sometimes caught in the middle of difficult adult situations. Even worse still, sometimes those events require police intervention.

Whenever possible, the Lakeville Police Department has tried to ease a child’s mind with a simple but effective gift: a teddy bear.

"When a child is in a crisis or a traumatic situation, they’re fearful," Crime Prevention Officer Kelli Coughlin said. "Not too long ago, I remember a little boy was involved in a car accident. He was placed on a backboard and was given a neck collar — he was terrified. We gave him a bear and it helped ease his fear — it allowed him to focus on something else."

Last week, the Lakeville Police Department teamed with the Sieben, Grose, Von Holtum & Carey law office in Lakeville for a community service project called "Show You Care, Give A Bear."

Art Kosieradzki, an attorney with the law office, said the idea is to equip each Lakeville Police cruiser with a half dozen brand-new stuffed animals.

Sieben, Grose, Von Holtum & Carey will match each donation, "bear for bear" through August, Kosieradzki said.

"There are just a lot of situations where kids can be scared," Kosieradzki said. "It’s not just when they’re hurt. There are a lot of potentially traumatic situations that a teddy bear can help a child get through."

Coughlin said the Police Department needs brand-new teddy bears and stuffed animals — used will not work.

People are encouraged to drop off animals at the Sieben, Grose, Von Holtum & Carey law office at 20876 Holyoke Ave. in Lakeville, not the police station.

Kosieradski, who lives in Lakeville and has four children of his own, has been with Sieben, Grose, Von Holtum & Carey for more than 20 years. He says impetus for the teddy bear drive hinges on the fact that summer is the "busy season" for both the Police Department and his office.

"There's just more happening this time of year," he said. "In my practice, I’ve seen little kids hurt, I’ve heard stories and my heart bleeds. If there’s something we can do to help divert the attention of a child from a scary event they’re going through, if we can help them at all, it makes a big difference."

Lakeville's not alone, Coughlin said, with regard to police officers giving children stuffed animals when available.

But the problem is availability.

"We get donations of stuffed animals quite often," Coughlin said. "But we don’t get large numbers, and our inventory dwindles. They get used.”

And that’s the great thing about this drive, Coughlin said.

It's the first time she said she remembers being part of a community effort like this. And with awareness comes more animals, she said.

Kosieradzki said a simple teddy bear drive is the least he can do to support the community and its Police Department.

The police, they’re not just there protecting us; they’re also there to help us," Kosieradzki said. "If this helps them, then we’re doing something great."