European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - June 23, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse It Page 6 of Brian which is what pfc. Wesley Sellers Calls All of his teddies helps Case trauma fear Darmstadt amps Bear Down with teddies by Ron Mckinney staff writer a a Hen. Pic. Ross Mcleod finds a potentially dangerous situation getting out of hand the military policeman pulls out his great equalizer a a cuddly Teddy Bear named Budweiser. A a it gives you an Mcleod said. A you pull the toddy Bear out and everybody stops for a couple of a. Budweiser Bear not the Beer a is part of a program adopted last month by the Darmstadt Germany Provost marshal in which Teddy bears Are Given to distressed children to help a Calm. traumatic experiences. The Koch bears Are also a Way to help improve the Community perception of military to. Ii Eemeli. A it Luucy Are so Many negatives that you always look for a positive Way to put the maps Forward Quot said capt. . Mccaughey the Community Provost marshal. A Mcleod 22, first Bear to a a year old boy who was hit by a car on the Highway a the boy was on a Stretcher As approached to Fly Bun to the Hospital. 1 lie was t screaming. He was in Shock Quot said Mcleod a new York City reservist who has been assigned in Darmstadt since late december while 29 Darmstadt military policemen patrol the us kids of operation desert storm in support of the 3rd a annd div Mcleod took the Teddy Bear from his patrol car and handed it to the boy who clutched the Bear and cried. A it seemed like he was dreaming until i gave him the Bear. Then he was responsive Quot the Soldier said. A a. Mcleod has Given away three of the 120 Teddy hears the Darmstadt Community bought for about $7 each. Mccaughey said Darmstadt might need donations to keep the program going after its Supply of hears runs out later this year. In the first three weeks alter Mccaughey Quot. Tit tried the patrolmen with Teddy bears on May 2, they gave away 12 there Are no criteria in Dacid my Wiluin a police officer May make someone a Day by whipping out a hug Gable Bear a. A its non restrictive Quot Mccaughey said. Quot there a no one looking Over his shoulder to say gets or no Quot. A at first the 35 military police a including a about 20 reservists from the new York City police department a weren to sure what to make of their new furry partners. Mccaughey said that when he explained the program to the policemen he was met with a Blank stares and a few a. A a a a a a ,. A a i did no to know what to think. At first i thought it was a Public relations thing Quot Mcleod said. But now Mcleod is sold on the program a it works Quot he said Quot they in taking it to heart Quot pfc Wesley Sellers said of How the military police have warmed up to the Pio Giam Selts 31, names ill his Teddy Staiso Brian a name he plans to Gic to a future son i Stust head went to a 3 Jear old Gui who had alien and broken two tech on a saturday because the dental dime was dosed the to that brought the waiting dual to the military police desk. A ,. Sellers explained to the girl that he had a. Friend who could accompany her to a dentist if she promised to take care of him. When he handed her g ban the girl held the Teddy Bear to her face. A she stopped crying and started concentrating on the Bear. She looked at me with thanks m her eyes Quot Sellers said. Sellers saw the child again a few Days later in the shopping area parking lot. A she waved at. Me Quot he said. Quot i did no to Sec my Bear Darmstadt a bears Are intended a for children one was used to Calm an indignant american woman who Felt she was being treated unfairly by the military police at the scene of a traffic Accident Sellers said. Although the Accident was her fault she acted As though she accept that he said a a we re not Here to just make your life miserable a Sellers said he told the woman a we re sensitive too Quot then he handed her another of Briaun she asked me if f Wasa Lually giving it to her Quot he said a she looked at it and then thanked me Quot but that did no to change the outcome of the Accident investigation a Quot usually we just a ticket a a Sellers said. Quot she got the Bear a loaded for Bear the Teddy Bear program is popular with police departments throughout the United states although some such As Miami were forced to drop the idea when they ran out of Money. A ,. Kentucky state police officers have handed out 241 teddies in the programs two years of existence. The governors wife held a fund Raiser to initially buy the bears new the program is self supporting because the department Sells bears with proceeds paying for the giveaways. A the Colorado state patrol started its program in 1987 with 1,500 bears that were donated by a corporate sponsor arid then received a Grant for 1,000 Mot sgt Larry Tolar said the Grant came from a special surcharge added to Wrallie tykets to pcs have used the bears to help in situations ranging hmm school bus crashes to accidents m which a Parent has been killed Jani r Moi los Tirney. Washington Bureau a a a a a a a a a a a a a sunday june 23, 1991, a
