Turlock’s top cop shares a good read and a little wisdom with kids

Police Chief Robert Jackson took a break from budgets and bad guys to read to youngsters at the Turlock library.

He picked one of his favorite kid books, a story of the life and times of “Sammy: Dog Detective,” a Modesto K-9 officer immortalized by Colleen Stanley Bare.

It was an apt pick for the Stanislaus County Library’s Every Hero Has a Story summer reading challenge, which runs through Aug. 4.

“We wanted to incorporate our local heroes as well,” said children’s librarian Michelle Coxford. Tuesday was time for Turlock’s top cop to take a turn.

His wriggly audience sat at least semi-still through the story, leaning forward appreciatively for the pictures. Question time brought some insight into the 6- to 8-year-old mind.

“To be a policeman, do you have to go to school?’

“Are any bad guys smart?”

“Smart enough to build a robot?”

Yes. Yes. And Yes. Jackson explained going to school is important for police officers, who need to graduate from high school and go to college for a time. The Turlock department has 78 officer positions, some it is still trying to fill, he added.

Unfortunately, criminals, outside of cartoons, can be very smart, and the police have to be just as smart to catch them, he said.

Outsmarting them and preventing crime sometimes takes community help, Officer Michelle Backeroff added, taking a moment to talk to parents about Neighborhood Watch.

Backeroff, Turlock’s crime prevention officer, has a network of 79 neighborhoods watching out for one another, she said. Many she instantly updates through Nextdoor.com, a private social network for neighborhood groups, if there’s an issue in their area.

At last came the big moment Jackson knew the kids all waited for – seeing his police vehicle, with its flashing lights and special gear.

Favorite moment for 5-year-old Blayke Morgan: “It was pretty cool to see a police car.”

Jackson obligingly let kids sit in the back seat, made of molded plastic like a carnival ride. “It’s a lot easier to clean out,” he said, sparing kids and parents the details.

“It was pretty cool,” said Peter Buie, 7.

Mom Linda Buie said she liked Jackson’s literary pick. “ I like that it has a local connection. He knew the trainer,” she said.

“It was fun for us, for the kids,” said Jasmine Singh, whose young aspiring officer had been among the first in line to see the car.

Sean Mangas, 8, hung around the car, peering into every door and window, until everyone else had left. Jackson spent some time talking with him about future career options. Sean said he wanted to be a cop, but he was thinking of being a security guard first.

“He loved it,” said mom Amy Mangas.

This story was originally published July 3, 2015 at 2:35 PM with the headline "Turlock’s top cop shares a good read and a little wisdom with kids."