By Jason Wesseldyk
Sports Editor
Building positive relationships with those in the community is a priority for Otsego Police Chief Brad Misner.
Misner and others in his department did just that by showing up at Memorial Park to grill hot dogs for second graders throughout the Otsego Public Schools district during the final week of school earlier this month.
“Community-based activities are super important in this community,” Misner said. “Building partnerships with the school system, staff and administration helps us communicate in a positive manner with all the young people.
“Our initiative in the Otsego community is to build those positive relationships, which in turn helps us provide a great service to those in the community. We rely on those in the community to help us in solving crimes, inform us of blight issues and just talk with us about how we can better serve.”
In addition to Misner, others who were on hand to lend their grilling skills included detective Aaron Lalone, officer Don McGehee and city manager Aaron Mitchell.
“I love the interaction we had with the students,” Misner said. “We had an opportunity to answer questions the students had and just play with them. Oh, to be young again.”
The end-of-the-school-year cookout wasn’t a new event, as it had been an annual affair until COVID caused a two-year hiatus.
“Otsego Schools puts on the entire program,” Misner said. “We just show up and grill hot dogs for the kiddos and interact in a positive way with all the second graders participating. It’s a great function where we can come together with young kids and show them we are just normal people, too.”
The cookout also included games and other activities provided by the teachers and other staff members.
“Bless the teachers and staff,” Misner said. “These kids have so much energy.”