DEKHED: Police hand out stuffed animals to comfort children
By ELSA CAVAZOS
Staff Writer
HARLINGEN — When you step into the lobby at the police department, a hidden door hides an unexpected surprise for children.
The room has a small table and two chairs, set up for those who might need quiet time to talk.
On the counter behind the table sits more teddy bears than you can count.
These have been placed there in order to provide a furry friend to children who are scared.
An organization named Bonham Bears provided several of these homemade teddy bears to give out to children who need something to hold on to and cuddle with.
Under the counter two cabinets hide even more teddy bears.
Many times children have to spend time in the lobby because of sad moments, such as having to see their parents apprehended. The purpose of the bears is to have something to give children when they might need them.
“This is a nonprofit organization that donates bears to local law enforcement agencies and first responders to help out children in their crisis,” police Commander David Osborne said.
“Sometimes we forget as we are dealing with criminals that sometimes they have small children and they are scared. They are in a very unfamiliar environment so the idea is to basically offer them a bear so they can hold on to it to feel safe and comfort and that child takes the bear with them.”
There are other organizations that donate other stuffed animals as well. These are new and still have the price tags on them.
“When kids come in and they are going through something very traumatic, we might let them pick out a bear they’d like to hold on to,” Osborne said. “It gives them that comfort, it is something we are very proud of these organizations that help us out.”
Volunteers can contact the Harlingen Police Department to support this heart warming initiative at (956) 216-59-41 to continue spreading love.
