CLEMSON — An upcoming event aims to show the community — and kids in particular — that law enforcement is here to help.
National Crime Victims’ Rights Week is April 10-16, and the Clemson Police Department is holding a Family Fun Kick-Off event from 2-4 p.m. this Sunday, April 10, at Nettles Park in Clemson.
There will be a lot going on that day, Clemson Police Department victim advocate Debra Shockley said.
“We have 21 agencies confirmed at this point that are going to come out and participate,” she said.
The Clemson PD will have patrol cars out for children to see.
The Clemson University Police Department will also have a patrol car display. The Clemson Fire Department and EMS will have fire trucks and ambulances for children to explore, Shockley said. Clemson Area Transit will have one of its city buses there.
“Bikers Against Child Abuse will have motorcycles for the children to crawl all over,” Shockley said.
There will also be a bike rodeo.
“We’ll have an officer do a safety talk about bicycles, and we’ll have an obstacle course set up,” Shockley said.
The Parenting Place is seeking donations of new bicycles to give away during the event, said Greta Young, executive director of The Parenting Place.
Visitors will be able to enjoy free food courtesy of co-sponsor The Parenting Place. Walmart Neighborhood Market will provide free beverages for everybody.
Mr. Twister the Clown will be entertaining the crowd and doing balloon art.
The police department hopes the event will allow the community to “get to know us before you need us,” Shockley said.
“I go to a lot of scenes and people have no clue of who I am, what I do or that I even existed,” she said. “The chief and myself, we’ve talked about it multiple times — we do these events and this outreach so that people know that we exist. If we have a domestic violence victim who doesn’t know where to turn, she might remember, ‘Oh wait, that police department has someone, they have some program available.’ That’s the goal of doing these community events.”
National Crime Victims’ Rights Week is a nationwide event to honor victims’ rights and victims of past crime, Shockley said.
“This is the first time the police department’s done anything for National Crime Victims’ Right Week,” she said. “So we’re excited to actually to get to participate, observe it, bring the community out.”
The Clemson Police Department is holding several other events for National Crime Victims’ Rights Week, Shockley said.
On Tuesday, April 12, at 10:30 a.m., Clemson police chief Jimmy Dixon and other city staff will plant pinwheels in order to raise awareness and help prevent child abuse.
On Wednesday and Thursday of that week, the department is holding a free RAD Self-Defense class for women. The response has been great — the class filled up quickly.
At 7:30 p.m. Friday, April 15, the department will hold a free outdoor family movie night at the Walmart Neighborhood Market in Clemson.
“They’ll get free movie, free snacks,” Shockley said. “Everything is free that we’re doing that week.”
The free movie event is a way for the Clemson community to interact with their local police officers.
“Getting to know us and what we do,” Shockley said. “So that people will realize what the officers’ role is, what they do, what the victims services role is and what I can do for you,” she said.
The Central-Clemson Library Branch will have a special display set up during the week with handouts about “scam prevention, identity theft, MARYS House, Pickens County Advocacy Center, The Parenting Place, for people to take and go,” Shockley said. “There will be displays of books with information pertinent to victims of different types of crimes.”