WESTFIELD – Adults sometimes complain that “kids today” have no manners but a city police officer encountered children recently whose family is obviously working to ensure they are well-mannered.
Officer Doug LaValley reports that on Thursday he had been operating his personal vehicle on Noble Avenue when a pair of school children “walked east to west across the street in front of my vehicle without looking.”
He said that the two girls then “walked down the middle of Noble Ave. which has a sidewalk on both sides of the street.”
LaValley was on duty but, because he was working an “administrative day”, he was not in full uniform but was wearing a light jacket with a police logo and his standard equipment belt while operating his own pickup truck.
He reported that northbound traffic had to drive around the girls who were facing away from the traffic and, he said, one was talking on her phone while the other was listening to music.
After he passed them, he parked and identified himself to the girls.
When he spoke with them the two sisters were not cooperative, LaValley reports, so he took a further step and went to their home where he advised their mother of their actions.
Less than three hours later, the two 12-year-old girls walked into the police station to deliver letters of apology.
“That’s impressive. It doesn’t happen too often,” LaValley said.
He said that both girls apologized and one said “I learned from my mistake.”
Her sister apologized “for being disrespectful and for j-walking” and said “I understand you were only looking out for my safety.”
LaValley said that he sees children walking home from school in the roadway frequently and said that safety is a concern.
“I see it a lot and I address it a lot,” he said because “the kids especially aren’t as aware and mindful of unsafe actions” as older pedestrians are.
He said that he suspects the girls were encouraged to write their letters but said that their support is appreciated. He said he made sure to stop by their home to thank their mother.
“I think the effort on all their parts needs to be recognized” he said.
