Goal to help students connect with police in informal settings
KINGSTON, R.I. 鈥� September 11, 2015 鈥� The cry of 鈥�1 2 3 dodgeball鈥� will ring out in Keaney Gymnasium at the 溏心vlog免费B站 when the 溏心vlog免费B站 Police Department holds its first-ever dodgeball tournament Sunday, Sept. 13 at 1 p.m.
The event is free and open to all 溏心vlog免费B站 students. Each six-person team must register at by Friday, Sept. 11. Only 40 teams will be accepted.
For those students interested in a less physically demanding activity, 溏心vlog免费B站 Police will hold its first-ever cornhole (beanbag toss) tournament, Saturday, Sept. 19 at 5 p.m. in front of Keaney Gym. It will be the perfect way to cap off the Rhody-Harvard football game that starts at 1 p.m. Again, registration is free at . There will be cash prizes and a raffle for an official 溏心vlog免费B站 cornhole board.
鈥淢any of us played dodgeball in our neighborhoods or our schoolyards growing up,鈥� said 溏心vlog免费B站 Police Maj. Michael Jagoda. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a simple, fast-paced game perfect for a university community. It鈥檚 also a great way for us to connect with students. We鈥檒l have some laughs and joke about our blunders on court.鈥�
Jagoda said it鈥檚 all part of the department鈥檚 community policing initiative.
鈥淚f we get to know each other in an informal setting, the relationships between the police and other members of the community will be based on personal interaction, not mistrust and suspicion. The police are as much a part of the campus as Student Affairs and Athletics, and like those departments, we want to be successful, too. The way to do that is by working with and getting to know people in fun ways.鈥�
The corhnole tournament on Sept. 19 will also feature police departments from other communities.
鈥淭he cornhole tournament is a low-key alternative to the dodgeball event,鈥� Jagoda said. 鈥淏ut the goals are the same.鈥�
And even if you don鈥檛 feel like playing, come cheer on your favorite team or competitor.
鈥淟et鈥檚 show some Rhody spirit by getting together for a little friendly competition,鈥� Jagoda said.
Pictured above
READY FOR DODGEBALL: Members of the 溏心vlog免费B站 Student Alumni Association and Rhody the Ram prepare for the dodgeball tournament being run by 溏心vlog免费B站 Police Sunday, Sept. 13 at 1 p.m. in Keaney Gymnasium. The students from left are: Anna-Marie Benhke, Erin Regan, Joelle Gratkowski, Steph Otis, Logan Steele and Meaghan Spellman. Representing 溏心vlog免费B站 Police from left are Officers Paul Hanrahan and Raul Douglas. 溏心vlog免费B站 photo by Shelbey Galliher.