We sought normalcy in 2021

Many of us were hoping and praying that 2021 would be "normal" again, but that was not the case. For the Perkins Township Police Department, 2021 was the year we decided to think outside the box. When this pandemic first started, we canceled many events and meetings. We didn't want to do that in 2021 and hoped to bring a bit of normalcy back to our community. This forced us to think outside the box so we could still be present in our community, all while keeping ourselves and our residents safe. Community policing is what the Perkins Police Department is known for, and we were able to get back to it this year. Here are a few highlights from this past year: 1. In February we assisted Mrs. Kania's second-grade class with a very important rescue. While at recess her students found a cockatiel named Tweetie and were able to reunite him with his family. This was such an exciting day for the students, and we were so glad to be a part of it. The students were a little sad when Tweetie left, but after a discussion with Mrs. Yost, we were able to purchase two birds for Mrs. Kania's class. 2. Toft's on 250 hosted a Celebrity Scoopers event that we were able to participate in with Perkins Schools. The event was well attended and a donation to Furry Elementary was provided. 3. In March, we hosted our annual Easter Egg Hunt at Perkins High School. We were able to divide each age group into its own time slot, giving kids of all ages the opportunity to hunt for eggs. An Easter basket donation was made to the Volunteers of America Crossroads Homeless Shelter. 4. Our K-9 program is operated by donations, and we typically host two in-person fundraisers to help with funding. We were not able to have these fundraisers and, instead, sold raffle tickets for gas cards this year. The community showed its support, and we were able to sell all of the tickets by April. This event raised more than $2,700 for our K-9 program. We also introduced a new K-9 handler, Officer Thayer, who is K-9 Sport's handler. 5. Safety Town was a huge success this year, and we look forward to working with Perkins Schools to improve the program for 2022. 6. Officers visited quite a few lemonade stands and playgrounds over the summer. They were able to pass out sunglasses and visit with some of our younger residents. 7. We were able to attend the Perkins Township Recreation Department's movie nights that took place at Strickfaden Park over the summer. Staff offered six movies this year, and each was well attended. 8. The Sandusky Police Department invited us to attend their annual Touch-a-Truck event. This is one of the biggest events we are part of each year, and 2021 was no exception. 9. The Motor Madness Car Show was brought back this year, and we were able to raise more than $3,000. Donations for two scholarships were made to Firelands Positive People and Perkins Schools as well as Community Youth Mentoring. 10. Our biggest event that we organize of the year is Trunk-or-Treat. This has been put on at the Erie County Fairgrounds the past few years, and we had well over 1,000 people in attendance. The ability to provide a safe and fun environment for area children to trick or treat is our main goal. 11. The food drive, toy drive, and Shop with a Hero events were late in the year, and the generosity of our community was in full force. 12. We ended the year with our annual Santa Parade and drove through Perkins Township neighborhoods to bring a little Christmas cheer. We have had so much support from local businesses and residents this past year. We cannot begin to thank everyone enough for their kind words and support. It's been a tough year, but these small acts of kindness really do make a difference. We are excited for 2022 and are looking forward to continuing and expanding our events. Vince Donald Police Chief, Perkins Township Police Department If you want to submit a Local Voices column, please email it to brandonaddeo@tandemnetwork.com. Columns should be 500-750 words and include the writer's headshot, or other photo.