Bay Ridge

Cops play jazz, read to kids at P.S. 127 Team Up event

May 23, 2016 By Paula Katinas Brooklyn Daily Eagle
Chief Joseph McGrann of the NYPD’s community affairs division reads a story to third graders as part of the NYPD’s Team Up Tuesday event. Photos courtesy of Stefanie Meola
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The cops who walked into P.S. 127 on a recent Tuesday weren’t there to make arrests or reprimand truants. They were there to have fun.

Chief Joseph McGrann, the executive officer of the NYPD’s Community Affairs Bureau, led the way as cops came to the school, located at 7905 Seventh Ave. in Bay Ridge, to take part in Team Up Tuesday, an effort by the Police Department to build bridges between police and children in public schools.

The police had so much fun; they came back to P.S. 127 the next day!

The two-day visit, which took place o May 17 and 18, featured art, exercise and jazz, according to guidance counselor Stefanie Meola, who said Chief McGrann read aloud to students, police officers led the youngsters in an exercise regiment and cops conducted a jazz band to teach the kids about music.

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Team Up Tuesday also gave the students and the entire P.S. 127 community a chance “to show our support for our heroes in blue, the NYPD,” Meola told the Brooklyn Eagle in an email.

On May 17, McGrann read aloud to students and then engaged the kids in a discussion about reading.

Detective Harold Kirschner and P.O. Michael Panepinto of the 68th Precinct in Bay Ridge guided the youngsters through a group activity focusing on teamwork, leadership and safety. “The officers from our local 68th Precinct were fantastic with our students and we were very grateful to welcome them into our school,” Meola said.

The fun continued the next day when Detective Amy Pope and the NYPD Jazz Band visited P.S. 127 to perform in concert.

“The officers taught our fourth- and fifth-grade students about the elements of jazz. Our students sang and danced along with the NYPD talent and had a blast while building a meaningful relationship,” Meola said.

Police from other local precincts visited schools in their communities on Team Up Tuesday, according to www.nypdnews.com. Police Commissioner William Bratton also got into the spirit of the day. He visited several schools, including P.S. 112 at 7115 15th Ave. in Bensonhurst and “deputized” the students as junior officers, charging the youngsters with looking after their neighborhoods.

Team Up Tuesday won’t be the last time the friendly cops will be visiting P.S. 127, according to Meola. “We look forward to teaming up with the NYPD to continue to expand this community partnership,” she said.

 


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