HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPALS WILL DINE WEDNESDAY WITH ELVIS

Elvis the Buckle-Up Bear, a Clearwater Police Department animi-tronic traffic safety robot, will assist two uniformed Police Officers in serving a steak dinner Wednesday afternoon to the principals of Clearwater and Countryside high schools.

The catered meal is the result of a contest between the two schools to increase seat belt usage by the schools’ students. Earlier this year, Clearwater Police monitored seat belt usage by the student body of each school and - after a public awareness campaign touting the laws and common sense pertaining to seat belt usage - again tabulated usage by students.

Clearwater High students had a larger increase in their percentage of seat belt usage, and Countryside Principal Julie Jenssen and School Resource Officer Charles Howard were to serve supper to Clearwater High Principal Nick Grasso and SRO Robert Kinchen.

But because both schools increased their respective seat belt usage significantly, Clearwater Police Traffic Section Commander Lieutenant Steve Burch and Community Relations Officer Lisa Hebert will assist Elvis the Buckle-Up Bear in serving the 3 p.m. meal at Durango Steak House, 2571 Drew Street in Clearwater.

Elvis is a conversant (via radio) bear (complete with wrap-around sunglasses) who drives a mobile Clearwater Police cruiser the size of battery-operated car facsimiles sold by companies such as Sharper Image. Elvis is one component of a grant-funded campaign by Clearwater Police to increase seat belt usage (mandated by Florida law) among motorists in Clearwater.

For additional information about this event, please contact Community Relations Officer Lisa Hebert at 727-562-4171.

/s/
SID KLEIN
Chief of Police