Page 10 THE VILLADOM TIMES III • June 1, 2011 Ho-Ho-Kus Police department aficionado serves as Mayor for a Day by Jennifer Crusco Seven-year-old Sheldon Wright could not have rendered his service as Mayor for a Day at a better time. Wright, who is billed as a future member of the Ho-Ho-Kus Police Department was on hand last week as his friends from the department gathered for the promotion of Michael Pattman to the post of lieutenant. As honorary mayor, Wright, who was appropriately attired in a suite and tie, opened the meeting with the pledge of allegiance and then stood by as Mayor Thomas Randall administered Pattman’s oath of office. Mayor Thomas Randall and Mayor for a Day Sheldon Wright Wright also listened as several members of the public provided comments and aired concerns about local matters, and helped punctuate the openings and closings of the public hearings on various ordinances with his judicious use of Mayor Randall’s gavel. Wright won the Mayor for a Day honor through a HoHo-Kus Education Foundation-sponsored contest, and he clearly enjoyed his responsibilities. The “mayor” became acquainted with the members of the police department when the Ho-Ho-Kus Police Department launched a collector card program to build rapport with local youths. The program encourages children to interact with the police officers in a positive way and request their cards. The relationships Wright has forged with the police officers are proof of the program’s success. Wright has gathered all of the department members’ cards, and is at ease interacting with all the police personnel right up to Chief John Wanamaker. In November 2010, Wright was on hand to greet guests at the retirement party for outgoing Police Chief Gregory Kallenberg, who was responsible for launching the collector card program in Ho-Ho-Kus in 2007. Knowing that sports enthusiasts have enjoyed collecting baseball cards since the 19th century, Kallenberg decided to follow the model used by Fair Lawn and Emerson and capitalize on the popularity of collector cards by creating a set for his own personnel. Kallenberg was aided by Officer Michael Tuttle, who coordinated the collector card program and arranged the photographs; Officer M Mosca, who provided the Web design; Councilman John Mongelli, who designed the cards; and former Councilman Gordon Hamm, who sponsored the program through the Kidville organization. Soon after the program was established, students began to introduce themselves to the officers and request their cards. Each card includes the police officer’s photograph, a brief biographical sketch, and personal information, such as a favorite quote. Everyone is represented, from the chief through the department’s rookie of the year. While students are encouraged to interact with the police officers, the department’s website, ho-ho-kuspolice. com, notes that no one should approach an officer who is writing a ticket or conducting an investigation. Students are also cautioned not to approach an officer who has activated the lights on his or her police vehicle. Students who, like Wright, have collected all of the department members’ cards are eligible to receive a replica of a police badge.