Game wardens, deputies, firefighters, state parks lifeguards and more having fun with kids at National Night Out Tuesday

Code 3 Mind Health is a relatively new organization set up to provide counseling and mental health care services to law enforcement, first responders, firefighters and others who fit their motto “caring for those who serve.”   Cops, EMTS, and firefighters are supposed to be stronger than the rest of us, but they are human too. And it can be difficult to seek help alongside the people they may have arrested or helped in some way that day. (Believe me, they do much more helping than arresting, I see it every week on my job at the hospital).  This new group was just one of more than a dozen agencies and non-profits from the law enforcement and education community at Fort Bragg’s National Night Out event in front of City Hall. Because of the remodeling of the usual location next to the Veterans Hall, it was moved to take over Franklin Street in the same place where the Fort Bragg Farmer’s Market does every Wednesday. The location was much too small for all the usual fun at National Night Out but kids were having a blast anyway. The average age at many Coast events is about 70, but average age was about 30 here and the fun the kids were having at all the kid events was great. The idea is to give kids a good and happy connection with law enforcement early, resulting hopefully in more good behaviour and even some kids wanting to do a career that would be about public service, not getting rich.

I hope Code 3 Mind Health takes off.  They helped when lots of people were freaked out by the fake school attack a while back. In a real disaster, having a crew like this could be great. I have posted some info about how to find out more. They do an annual mental health evaluation for the entire Fort Bragg Police Department. Terrific idea to help the helpers like this.

Apologies for some mediocre photos but I like to get everybody I can into pictures. My excuse is I had a dog revolution. Brutus, my 9-year-old German Shepherd/Malinois, was bred to be a police dog so this should have been the event for him and has been in past years. But he freaked out and broke the leash after some Hip Hop Music with a deep beat came on. He used his off-the-charts strength to tell me he was not going and when I tried to force him, he became the Kracken, snapped the leather leash in two and ran for the car. The snapping leash cracked in the air like a firecracker and made things worse and scared some people nearby.

I chased him and a lady in flip flops stepped on his leash and he carried her along  til the shoe was lost. Another stranger interceded. Brutus was polite but NOT going back. I wrecked my toe with the running chase businesses. Brutus happily went back to the Honda and lay down.. LOL.  So I had to go back to get my photos with just Caear along. 

As crowded in as everybody was, it was difficult for the cantankerous me to get good shots. Six-month-old pup Caesar seemed to like the Hip Hop and met about 40 new friends.