Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

WILLIAM R. DAVIE – If you want to hear the truth, ask a 5 year old.
Their inhibitions are low, and they’re eager to learn.
Tina Dyson, a seasoned kindergarten teacher at William R. Davie Elementary School, knows this well.
While teaching her class about “community workers,” people like police officers, firefighters, county workers – she noticed something disturbing.
Too many of the students, when the study came to police officers, showed instant fear. That’s what they learned from home life, to fear the police.
She set out to change that – and with the help of Winston-Salem Police Assistant Katie Allen, who has twin daughters at the school – some of the top tactical units were on display.
It made the officers accessible. It highlighted some of the “cooler” jobs officers do. And it let students know that police officers are friendly, and are there to help.
“A lot of kids see law enforcement and they are scared, and I want them to see law enforcement as fun and their friends,” Dyson said.
Allen organized the event, which included the department’s newest K9 officer, “Bo,” a bloodhound being trained to find missing persons, shown by Sgt. Matthew Hatch.
Motorcycle officers were on hand, and answered several questions from the students.
Retired officer Ron Robertson of Davie County delighted the students when, after explaining how and why they are used, demonstrated a drone in action.
That excitement continued as they watched Capt. Eddie King explain how the robot and hazardous device team finds and diffuses bombs. This unit also serves Davie County.
Capt. Ryan Phillips explained the duties of the rescue unit, everything from entering dangerous locations to searching for missing persons. The armored vechicle added to the excitement.