[Vision2020] TOP COPS: Adventure ends well thanks to community's willingness to help

[Saundra Lund]

TOP COPS: Adventure ends well thanks to community's willingness to help
By Dan Weaver
Saturday, April 7, 2007 - Page Updated at 12:00:00 AM


On a recent cool Friday morning, two children were reported missing from a
local school. As we began looking for these children, the events to unfold
could have been the opening for a made-for-television drama. It was parts
"America's Missing," "the Great Escape," and "Survivor." The stars of our
show were two 9-year-olds evading unseen pursuers as they hid in reeds in
the swampy underbrush of Paradise Creek. The children were unfamiliar with
the terrain, had little knowledge of survival tactics and were ill-equipped
to handle the harsh environmental challenges.

These youngsters had not planned their adventure well and apparently did not
have any particular destination in mind. They had not adequately assessed
the effects of wind, water, hunger and thirst. Having taken lessons from
"CSI," "The Fugitive" and other television shows, the children managed to
successfully evade searchers for six hours as they made their way five miles
north of Moscow through creeks, streams, bushes, and trees.

This scenario could easily have ended in disaster. The two children were in
early stages of hypothermia when found.

Fortunately for them and for us, a savvy resident spotted the children and
correctly assessed their condition. She talked with them about their
situation and convinced them to come with her to the police department.

What a great ending to an odyssey that started out as an adventure but soon
turned to a struggle. I really appreciate the great work of this Good
Samaritan and all the other individuals who assisted in looking for these
children. That is one of the many reasons I love this community. We may at
times have our disagreements, but when someone is in trouble, especially
children, everyone drops what they are doing and step in to assist.

News organizations and radio stations helped get the word out. Residents
were posting fliers around town. People were searching playgrounds, under
bridges and on trails.

All of our employees were looking for the children, as were employees from
the Latah County Sheriff's Office. Businesses were giving fliers to
customers. Many citizens who did not know the families volunteered to look
for the children. The sheriff called up Latah Search and Rescue and
requested air support from Bennett Lumber Products. Fortunately, the
children were brought to the police department just prior to launching this
full-scale, no-holds-barred search.

All of us at the police department and the sheriff's office would like to
thank all in our community who helped look for these young folks who were
temporarily misdirected in their quest for an adventure.

Pullman Police Chief Dan Weaver is one of a handful of law enforcement
leaders who contribute to Top Cops. The columns appear regularly in Slice of
Life.
__________

Of course, Chief Dan Weaver is ***Moscow's*** police chief, not Pullman's.
SL