SOUTHWICK – During the public comments part of last night’s Select Board meeting, Southwick Police Chief Dave Ricardi was awarded a check.
Republican Town Committee Chairman Bob Horacek stood up and gave Chief Ricardi a $500 check.
The check that Horacek presented to Chief Ricardi was towards the RAD. program Southwick Police has. Rape Aggression Defense is a program that trains and teaches woman in the community how to properly defend theirselves in certain situations.
Republican Town Committee Chairman Bob Horacek presents Police Chief Dave Ricardi the $500 check. (Photo by Greg Fitzpatrick)
With the help of the Republican Town Committee, the $500 check gives Chief Ricardi and the rest of the police department the opportunity to reach their goal. Three Southwick Police officers will now be able to do the training for the RAD. program. The training program will start at some point next month.
“It’s going to help us get to that goal,” said Chief Ricardi. “This is going to help pay some of that bill.”
The $500 check came from an important suggestion by one of the Republican Town Committee members. The suggestion was that the committee show support for the Southwick Police Department by having blue signs that say “We Support Southwick Police”.
Each sign that a member of the community received, would donate $10 in return. All the signs were picked up at Southwick Florist. As the requests for the blue signs are continuing, a second order of the signs are now available at Southwick Florist.
The police department have also seen support expanding beyond the committee and throughout the community as well. Local food businesses have reached out and given the police gift certificates. Cards, letters, and pictures that children have drawn are also things that people have done to show their support for their local police.
“It goes on and on and on every day” said Chief Ricardi. “It’s very moving.”
