May 7, 2003

East Lansing - When Michigan State Police troopers go out on patrol they take along one piece of equipment that you might not expect – teddy bears! The "Trooper Teddy" to be exact.

The Trooper Teddy program was started in 1987 with the support of the Birmingham Optimist Club. The program, which is entirely funded by donations, provides teddy bears to troopers to give to children who have been involved in traumatic situations, such as traffic crashes, domestic violence and child abuse and neglect cases.

"Being able to give a traumatized child a Trooper Teddy makes all the difference," stated Sergeant Greg Jones. "Sometimes, the introduction of a police officer can make the situation worse for an already frightened child, and giving them a teddy bear helps to calm them down."

Thousands of Trooper Teddy’s have been given to children all across the state since the program started. This year, the Trooper Teddy received a makeover. The style of the bear was changed to reflect the popular, smaller, bean-filled stuffed animals that are on the market.

Anyone interested in donating money to the Trooper Teddy program can contact the Birmingham Optimist Club at (248) 901-4333.