Officer commended for interacting with children

By CHRISTINE HAINES

chaines@yourmvi.com

An impromptu encounter between a Rostraver Township police officer and a group of children last month has received recognition as a positive example of community policing.

Patrolman Christopher Tretter opened his car to the children at Rostraver Apartments one day in July and found that they loved the lights and sirens. They learned about the number 911 written on the side of the car and its importance to their safety. Overall, it was a positive experience with a police officer.

Tretter has been an officer with the Rostraver department since June 2015. Chief Greg Resetar said he was extremely proud of the officer’s interaction with the children and wrote a letter that was read by the township commissioners and placed in Tretter’s personnel file.

“My attention was drawn to a post on Facebook showing him interacting with children while he was on patrol,” Resetar said. “He let them in the police car and let them activate the emergency lights and siren. It was a positive example of community policing. They were exploring the police vehicle.”

Resetar said it made him proud to see one of his officers taking the initiative to interact with children in the community.

“This was just an impromptu thing that he took the time to stop and talk to them,” Resetar said.

Photos and videos were taken to document the encounter, with smiling children seen in and around the car and grinning in pictures with Tretter.