"Officer Phil" Visits Riverside Elementary School

Yesterday, Riverside Elementary School students were treated to a special assembly hosted by the “Officer Phil” program. “Officer Phil” is an organization that provides safety lessons for children in elementary schools. “Officer Phil” teaches lessons about what to do around strangers, fire safety, internet safety, bullying, responding to emergencies, and interacting with authority figures. It is a national program that partners with local police and fire departments to reach elementary schools across the country. This program is funded annually by a grant and sponsored by the Riverside Police Department.

“Officer Phil’s” 30-minute presentation was hosted by “Mr. Mike the Magician” and it included ventriloquism, magic tricks, and other entertainment to engage kids in safety lessons.  Patrolman Anthony Cicali selected kids from the audience and played games with them to teach them about respect for others.

“Officer Phil” also provides additional resources for kids, parents, and educators online. Other safety lessons are available on their website including medication safety and sports safety tips. The website also features coloring pages for kids and fun recipes. In many cases, these kids have gone on to use their new safety skills in their communities. The program was founded in 1975. We would like to thank Riverside’s school administration and teachers for supporting this fun free program every year.

You can learn more about "Officer Phil" at OfficerPhil.com