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Crime & Safety

Patch Perfect: REAL School Students Designing New Police Emblem

The new police chief is having students design a new patch for his department.

Student artists at the REAL School, 5915 Erie St., are designing a shoulder patch for the Caledonia Police Department. From early reports, the department will have plenty of choices.

“Everybody’s really excited about this. Our kids are coming up with ideas and doing research,” says Sarah Pina, the school’s art teacher.

Police Chief Toby Schey contacted REAL School Director Willie Maryland about developing a new shoulder patch. The present design was created by former chief Frank Tomachek in the 1970s. The only restrictions on the new design are that it fit in a roughly 4-inch rectangle and that the word “Police” be prominently displayed.

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Pina opened up the design project to all of the school’s 300 students in grades 6 through 12. So far, about 40 students have taken informational packets and a few have already completed their designs.

 “We’ve made it an on-your-own project,” she says. “Our staff will review the (completed) designs and then turn it all over to the Caledonia Police to let them choose.”

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Pina expects to hand over the designs around May 6 – the first week after the school’s Spring break.

The shoulder patch project has already generated a lot of interest and excitement. By far, it’s the most high profile artwork that REAL School students have created in Pina’s eight years at the school.

 “A lot of our students have been researching Caledonia and its history. Lighthouses have been a very popular design so far,” says Pina. “We’re always looking for things to do in the community.”

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