Bloomington Police Department holds open house for all ages

Alex Rice is only 13 years old, but he already knows the Bloomington Police Department like the back of his hand.

Dressed in a BPD polo and hat, Rice spent his Saturday morning looking at the different patrol cars officers use. He dreams of one day riding in the car as a police officer and not just as an attendee of BPD’s open house.

The BPD open house kicked off at 9 a.m. Saturday at the BPD headquarters, 220 E. Third St.

    VIDEO: Open House

Police Chief Mike Diekhoff said the open house was meant to make the police department appear less intimidating to the public.

“My goal is to present the department to the public and be able to show the equipment,” Diekhoff said. “I think a lot of people are uncomfortable with officers. By having an open house we want to show people the types of things we can do.”
The open house was part of the department’s 109th anniversary. It included a tour of the headquarters.

Displays in the parking lot showcased information about police motorcycles, the dive team, the critical incidents team, bicycle officers, the crisis negotiations team and regular cop cars. There was also a mock car accident display.

Sgt. Mick Williams headed the display of the critical incidents response teams. Weapons the team would use to combat emergency situations when a sniper is attacking or when a person is barricaded were on display for residents.

The tour of all the different offices inside of the building began with a slideshow of BPD’s history.

Sgt. Shane Rasche led the group tours of various rooms such as the interview rooms, holding cells, the dispatch center and also the drug investigation team.

The tour offered a stop into a room where impaired drivers would be taken. Attendees were invited to try to pass a sobriety test while wearing the “drunk goggles.” Edward Friesel, 8, tried to complete the sobriety test while wearing the goggles.

“It looks like I’m walking on the line,” Friesel said as he strayed away from the taped path.

Although Dina Kellams is married to a BPD officer, she said she learned new things too. Kellams, a Lawrence County resident, said she had forgotten about BPD’s dive team. Kellams said the event helped kids realize that cops aren’t “intimidating.”