I am pleased to share that our 2nd Living On God’s Overflow (L.O.G.O.) Field Trip was a success and full of interactive learning! We spent 1 ½ hours at the:

Waukegan Police Station

I am so thankful that one of my neighbors was able to join in on the fun. 

It was divinely aligned as Jersho (1st Grade) desires to be a police officer.

Our tour included close ups of a holding cell, the investigation rooms, the gun range, and the command center. While in the gun range the officers took the time to share with us how they are not trained to kill civilians, but to stop the threat. 

We had a very meaningful conversation in this space as we sought to understand the heart of police officers. I learned that police officers are trained to take center mass shots and to respond quickly as situations are not static. 

I asked the officers if they ever had to fire their weapon and thankfully they have not, despite having been shot at & dodging the bullet. These officers made it clear that they honor their mission statement and the lives of all civilians.

As a Black Woman, I understand the tension between the Black Community and police officers. My hope and prayer is that the power backing the badge is handled with care and that Black Civilians live without fear of the police. I cannot change the past or tear down a system, however, I am confident that this visit helped my children to not live in fear. My children have a better understanding of the service provided by police officers. Furthermore, I am certain that the police officers we encountered love the community they serve.

The gun range was the kids favorite part of the tour – hands down!

My favorite part of the tour was the command center. It gave major:

Momager Vibes

On one desk station I counted 8 monitors! The woman holding down the station was so on top of business and shared great tips. Such as making sure we are aware of our surroundings and know where we are. To make sure that even if we do not know the exact address to be sure we can quickly call out landmarks. She reinforced that young children know their home address and told us to think of her as a:

Giant Google

Able to have 15 conversations going at the same time -without dropping the ball! I personally believe this to be the heart of the police station – if this command center is not run smoothly – then the police officers cannot properly serve. This is how I feel as the manager of my home -> quickly connecting dots on the spot and directing the flow of activity.

I also appreciated the investigation rooms that were well lit and maintained. All investigation rooms were equipped with video and audio recording. The investigation room for those impacted by criminal activity had a soothing ambiance with comfy couches and a coffee table.

The Police Station even appealed to my inner artist! An officer had been collecting police patches for years and donated his patches to this station for the creation of a mural! It is soo beautiful! In the mural you can also see the progress of the Waukegan Police Station Badge over the years.

During the visit – my 1 ½ year old daughter, Glory, became fussy about a blanket not being properly draped over her shoulders. I’m at the visit like “Really?!” – please don’t do this right now. I will never forget Sergeant Alejos picking Glory up and carrying her for a bit. She was calm and content. I was soo appreciative as I was able to focus on the tour and move the older kids along. Officer Bradfield helped nurture her too! To me this is what love is – this is community. Stepping in to help.

As we were nearing the end of our tour we were given goodie bags and the opportunity to try on vests! 

After greeting one of the Deputy Chiefs – we walked out to the parking lot and checked out a police car!

The kids faces lit up with excitement!

We wrapped up by expressing gratitude for our morning of immersive learning and giving firm handshakes. More handshake practice is needed, but I am hopeful that the kids will get the hang of it. One of my son’s playfully fist bumped Sergeant Alejos – who introduced him to the fun “ Gear Shift” response! Now we are paying it forward.

Our trip to the local police station was a morning well spent. I highly recommend a visit.

Special thank you to our hosts: Sergeant Alejos, Officer Bradfield, Officer Tzavaras, & Officer Luka.

Serve Well,