Anne Woods: A Weekend for Superheroes
Police Replace Teddy Bears With Books
Filed under: In The News, Weird But True
A new federal law has police departments re-thinking the toys they hand out to kids. Credit: Jek In The Box, Flickr
A law designed to protect kids from harmful chemicals means that some police officers are no longer handing out cuddly creatures to comfort children in times of distress.
The Middleton, Wisc., Police Department often finds children present when officers respond to emergencies -- domestic abuse, car accidents or health emergencies -- and they used to give the kids a teddy bear to make them feel safer in the midst of the chaos. Now, thanks to the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act, they hand out backpacks of books, according to Madison news station WISC-TV.
Middleton police Sgt. Don Mueller told WISC that the books can help kids escape using their imaginations.
"If you can get them to open it up and start reading, it can take their mind off whatever the problem is we're passing them out for in the first place," Mueller said.
The backpacks full of books are donated by a program called With Wings and a Halo Reach a Child, and offer stories for a wide age range. Officers said that the books do help.
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ReaderComments (Page 4 of 4)
10-28-2009 @ 3:01AM
ycav4424 said...At least they are doing something about the dangerous toys and products sent over from communist countries. I figured it would be like mexico, where they cover up everything like the mexican flu that they didn't tell anybody about until it was to late. Happy puking compliments of the mexican government, our neighbors and non-citizens that delivered it with our governments permission.
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10-28-2009 @ 3:17AM
Karen said...I would like to see the statistics of how many children have been injured or killed by teddy bears! Maybe if the "risk regulators" would just require that all stuffed animals come with warning tags...
"Caution- Do Not Eat" "Caution- this animal could become a choking hazard if swallowed" "Caution- this toy could be used as a weapon" "Caution- this toy has been deemed inappropriate for children by government idiocracy"...
then the chldren would have something to read as well as something to hug.
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10-28-2009 @ 3:19AM
Elizabeth Bailey said...The CPSIA is about as useless for the safety of children as PETA is for the safety of pets... all these "do good" organizations need to be banned themselves.
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10-28-2009 @ 4:24AM
Sonny said...Unbelievable! A stuffed animal for a child to cuddle when very young and frightened is worth 1000 books. What if they put the book in their mouth? Come on lawmakers, get real and do something useful like keeping pedophiles off the streets!
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10-28-2009 @ 5:07AM
Tricia Rueda said...While reading is something VERY important to kids, from the time they can listen to a story being read, to the time they learn to read, and, (hopefully), begin to love reading, it is RIDICULOUS to stop handing out teddy bears! NOTHING comforts a frightened, crying young child more than a cuddly new "friend!" It IMMEDIATELY (sp?) takes their mind off the trauma that is going on around them - ESPECIALLY if during all of this trauma, they are placed into a strange environment by children's services!! GIVE THESE KIDS THE TEDDY BEARS! "DON'T FIX IT IF IT AIN'T BROKEN!"
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10-28-2009 @ 3:27PM
Linda said...My children were almost abducted in a cusdoty battle. Long story short, the police, county sherriff, EMT, showed up as a fight had insued as a result of trying to take the kids. The kids were given Teddy Bears to them as they were crying, the bears calmed the kids down and gave them something to hold, and to know that the police would be there when the need arose. A book sure is hard to snuggle, and gee go read the book while we have your dad hand cuffed and arrested. What kind of book is going to provide security to a youngster.
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10-28-2009 @ 3:52PM
jEnNa said...rofl!!!!! books??? when im sick my head hurts 2 mch 2 read. i snuggle with my teddyyyy!!! badddd policess!
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10-29-2009 @ 5:34PM
Gary said...Why should books and stuffed animals be mutually exclusive. Maybe it's time that people started thinking about AND acting on what's in the products they buy and the food they eat. First of all, America has to get beyond its conspicuous consumption. Buy less stuff and buy what you truly need and have those purchases be of quality items. Don't buy cheap foreign imported junk and then complain about is quality or about jobs being lost to other countries. Further, instead of whining, get involved! Do something to make a difference.
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11-01-2009 @ 4:59PM
grace.panetta said...that is just absurd. i cuddled with teddy bears i found on the street or bought at some yard sale all the time when i was younger and never got lead poisoning. stuffed animals are much more comforting then books. i mean, which would you rather cuddle with, a bag of books or a stuffed animal??
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