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With school back in session, Suffolk Public Schools students got a surprise on Thursday, Sept. 4 as Suffolk Police Department officers welcomed them for a happy and safe school day. SPD officers stopped by Booker T. Washington, Creekside Elementary, John Yeates Middle, Oakland Elementary, Southwestern Elementary, Hillpoint Elementary and Kilby Shores Elementary Schools to give students a warm welcome. SPD Public Communication Officer Mandy Bartholomew notes that this is the department’s first time doing the welcome and hope to “make it a tradition with the start of each new school year.”

Chief of Police James “Danny” Buie shared to SPS students that his officers both support and are very proud of them.

“This was a great opportunity to meet our students and teachers and remind them that the Police Department is there to support and help them. It also gives the officers and school staff a chance to interact and build on our partnership,” Buie said. “We look forward to continuing on these types of visits and branching out with other opportunities to engage with our students.”

Buie continued, noting the importance of the welcomes for both the students and the officers.

 “What I have learned is that not only do our kids learn and grow from these types of experiences, but our police officers learn and remember why we signed up to do this job,” he said.