Police officers cook, care, listen, and teach…

Food and Nutrition, Sept, 1991 by Marian Wig

If you ask the youngsters who hang out at the recreation center on Baltimore's Bayard Street why it's such a popular place, they'll tell you the arcade games and sports are fun and the food is good. You'll also quickly learn it's because the facility is run by some people who really care about these 8- to 17-year olds.

The recreation center is actually a police youth club operated year-round by four officers of the Baltimore Police Department. All four volunteered for the assignment.

"These officers weren't randomly selected and slapped into an assignment to do this job," says Lieutenant Mike Hilliard, who oversees the operation. "They were assigned here because they wanted to be here."

One requisite of the job is an avid interest in working with low-income kids. Another is an eagerness to provide a wholesome and positive atmosphere in which these children can develop.

"Here we try to

teach kids..."

In addition to organizing activities, refereeing games, and cooking, the officers help the children learn respect, social skills, and discipline. And the officers' interest in looking after the well-being of the kinds doesn't end at 10 p.m. when the doors close.

"Generally at a rec center the children play games and then they go home. Here we try to teach kids in everything we do," says Sergeant Pete Legambi.

For example, he explains, while they don't have a structured drug abuse or crime prevention program at the club, the officers reinforce positive values on a personal basis as they spend time with the children.

"We attempt to make these children model members of the community," says Legambi, "more so than they would have been had they never been in touch with the police youth club."

Throughout its 40-year history, the center has helped shape some of the city's finest.

"Our former police commissioner and one of our councilmen came through this club," Legambi says proudly. "Officer George Seltzer, who organizes the athletic activities here, also came through the club. He was going to be aprofessional baseball player for the Atlanta Braves, but he got injured. He thought so much of the club that he joined the police department and worked until he made his way back into the youth club."

Summer food program

helps with meals

During the summer months, when the kids don't have access to school food service programs, the club serves breakfast and lunch. Officer Charles Benjamin wears the chef's hat. He has been cooking and keeping the kitchen immaculately clean for about 10 years. Whether he's flipping pancakes or baking crispy chicken for 30 or 100 children, nutrition and palatability are his main priorities.

The meals are funded by USDA's Summer Food Service Program and often include government-donated commodities. The varied menu comes from Benjamin's success in getting kids to try something new.

"My intention is to see that they get a nutritious meal and also that they enjoy it. I had to bribe the children to get them to try my Salisbury steak sandwich. They asked, 'What's this?' Oddly enough, now it's one of our popular meals."

Another of the children's favorites is a macaroni casserole Benjamin makes with USDA beef and his special sauce. "I use 15 pounds of beef, 10 pounds of macaroni, and 5 pounds of cheese," he says, "and there aren't any leftovers."

The younger children are reminded to wash up before meals and exhibit acceptable table manners.

"If there's an item that is self-serve, we instruct the children to use proper utensils and to not handle the food with their hands. It's just common courtesy. But some children are not taught proper courtesies," Benjamin says.

Kids know the

officers care

When the kids finish clearing the tables after breakfast, the fun starts. The officers teach classes in ceramics, woodworking, and baking. The kids also can play basketball, ping pong, billiards, arcade games, table-top hockey, soccer, hopscotch, softball, and bingo. Three local swimming facilities are available for the children to use on sunny days.

The club has many supporters. The Baltimore Orioles organization provides pitching machines, baseballs, gloves, and bats. Buddies Inc., an organization of prominent business and political leaders and media people, finances a significant portion of the club's operations.

When 100 kids get together, sometimes things get a bit out of hand. But the officers see that disputes get settled quickly and equitably.

"We do not tolerate a 17-year-old disrupting an activity of an 8- or 9-year-old," says Benjamin. "Unfortunately, at some recreational facilities, it's the power of the might. We try to preserve the rights of the smaller children. When kids come in and bully other children off a video game, they have the potential to go up to other people and bully them for money. And that becomes robbery."

Disciplinary action usually doesn't affect the harmonious relationship the officers and kids have. In fact, they often pal around together after hours. It's not uncommon to see them together under the big top when the circus comes to town or enjoying themselves at an amusement park or zoo. These are new experiences for some of the kids.