Forks Police Reach Out to Elementary Schools

As the new community resource officer, Brooks Kranich serves as the go-to guy with businesses, citizens and now schools.

The police department recently launched a program in which Kranich visits schools to discuss various safety issues regarding children.

Over the past few months, Kranich has visited the first grades of and .

There, he has promoted a Safe Kids Check First program in which Kranich tries to tell first-graders that while it is a good idea to be aware of strangers, it's best to check first with parents no matter what and about anything.

"We're trying to get kids away from the stranger/danger concept," Kranich said. "Eighty percent of crimes are made on children by people who are familiar to them."

Next year, the program will expand to a Safe House program for second-graders besides the first-grade program, Kranich said.

He also hopes to develop something for those in fifth and sixth grades.

Kranich said it's been a little difficult starting the program so late in the school year since most schools have their days mapped out already.

But he's pleased with the new role.

"It's great. I'm also a township resident so this means a little more to me personally," said Kranich, a Forks officer for almost five years who has a dozen years of police experience under his belt.

Kranich said he's assumed other roles for the police department.

He heads the summer youth academy, bike derby and serves as child seat technician, too.

"Overall, our community policing philosophy states that it is important to not just be reactive," Police Chief Greg Dorney said. "We're trying to be involved as much as possible."

Township Supervisor David Billings believes the program is a great idea.

"I have always been supportive of community outreach programs as it fosters a collaborative relationship between the police department and the public," Billings said.