Uniformed police will greet shoppers Saturday as the West Valley City Police Fair enters its second day of anti-crime activities at Valley Fair Mall.
On the surface, the police fair is a public relations coup. Hype aside, it's an honest-to-goodness effort in crime fighting."We get intelligence information here every year that enables us to solve crimes," West Valley Police Chief Dennis Nordfelt said.
Often, citizens peruse the displays and demonstrations, only to return later to tip police about an ongoing problem in their neighborhood or other suspicious activity.
Mostly, it's an opportunity for citizens to visit with officers and arm themselves with anti-crime information.
"Most of our contact with the community is in a crisis situation," Nordfelt said. The fair offers a pleasant alternative. "It has exceeded our expectations," he said.
Activities are scheduled Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the mall, 3601 S. 2700 West, and include displays about home security, Neighborhood Watch, anti-gang efforts and emergency vehicles. Kids can meet Officer Friendly and sample Safety City, an interactive community designed to teach children safety.
Police will give away bicycle helmets to children at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., with K-9 demonstrations scheduled for noon and 4 p.m.
For parents like Diane Brixey, the free fingerprinting available at the police fair is an invaluable resource.
On Friday, Brixey's three children agreed to be fingerprinted as an excuse to meet a cop and get their fingers inky in the process. But for their mom, and other parents in line, the full set of prints is a record that could someday ensure the child's safety.
"We're going to do all three (kids)," Brixey said. "I think it's a great idea. In this day and age you never know what can happen."
Sherrie Belle also stopped by the fingerprinting display Friday with her daughter and 2-year-old grandson, Devereaux.
"We've been trying to do this ever since he was born," Belle said.