MPD focuses on kid safety for Fourth event

The Great American Barbecue is a Fourth of July tradition for many Maricopans, but for families with very small children, there is the safety worry for parents of kids getting separated from them in the large crowds.

To help mitigate the concern, and reunite any children who toddle away from their parents as quickly as possible, the Maricopa Police Department is introducing a new wristband program. 

Parents and their children can get white wristbands, free of charge, either before the event or at Pacana Park on the Fourth. Parents write their name and phone number on the child’s wrist band so that, in the event of a separation, the family can be quickly reunited by volunteers or event staff. 

The wristbands are available at the Maricopa Police Department prior to the barbecue. 

They also will be handed out on the shuttle busses going to and from the park from the various park-and-ride locations. At Pacana Park itself, they will be available at the police tent, the police command vehicle on display and at the city of Maricopa tent. 

Additionally, volunteers may be walking around the park handing them out.

Deb Dahn-Chern, a police department volunteer, suggested the wristbands.

“I’ve worked in other cities in the police tents and we handle the kids that are lost, and there are so many of them, and it takes quite a while to pair them up with their responsible adult or parent,” Dahn-Chen said. “And in the meantime we have panic ensuing amongst the adults and kids alike.” 

The police department enthusiastically embraced the idea. 

“It’s going to be a wonderful help to the officers,” said Sgt. Hal Koozer. “Last year we had 12 missing children, which took most of our manpower, just trying to locate parents and/or children.” 

The wristbands will be especially important when the city attempts to break the record for the largest squirt gun fight. 

“We’re going to have organized chaos,” Koozer said. “Which will be a lot of fun, but I can tell you children will become separated from their parents in this event. And so the wristbands are even more important now than any event before, in my opinion.” 

Kasey Trimble, who attends the barbecue every year and is the mother of two children, already has her family’s wristbands. 

“I have little ones and we want to have a safe time at the community event,” Trimble said. “I like that it makes parents more secure, knowing the city of Maricopa is trying to make us aware that little ones can disappear and trying to help with that.”

In addition to getting a wristband, however, Koozer said there are several other ways to ensure little ones stay safe. 

The main thing is to remain vigilant about children. 

First, “keep them within arm’s reach at all times,” he said. “Especially the younger ones.” 

“Just know they can disappear into a crowd pretty quickly,” Koozer said.