Police stop children, reward them for wearing helmets
Program expected to run through the end of the month
By Eliav Appelbaum eliav@theacorn.com

IRIS SMOOT/Acorn Newspapers HIGH FIVE- Senior Dep. Julie Novak with the Camarillo Police Department gives a "High Five to Stay Alive" to Hanna Rueter, 8, right, and Sage Slee, 8, for wearing helmets while riding their bicycles home from school on Monday afternoon in Camarillo. The new bicycle safety campaign allows Novak to give certificates and $20 gift cards to any helmet-wearing youngsters she spots while patrolling schools. The program is meant to encourage Camarillo children to wear their helmets.

Sage Slee didn't know what was going on when she saw police lights flashing.

The 8-year-old Tierra Linda Elementary School third-grader was walking her bicycle off campus with her friend, Hanna Rueter, after school. Senior Dep. Julie Novak of the Ventura County Sheriff 's Department stopped them for doing the right thing- wearing their helmets.

"For a second I thought we were getting in trouble," Sage said.

Sage and Hanna were the first students rewarded in the High Five to Stay Alive bike safety program organized by the Camarillo Police Department and the Breakfast Rotary Club of Camarillo.

On Monday afternoon, Novak, local Rotary president Martin Nehring and sheriff's department volunteer coordinator Todd Eskridge drove around town giving students on bikes, skateboards and scooters $20 Target gift cards and certificates of recognition for wearing helmets.

"We'd been getting some complaints from the schools about kids not wearing helmets, especially with skateboarders," Novak said. "Kids in that age group respond more to positive consequences. Once the word starts catching on, I'd like to see hordes of kids with helmets on chasing police cars down."

Novak and Nehring handed out 15 gift cards and certificates on Monday. The Rotary contributed $1,000 in gift cards and will give them out until the end of the month or when the gift cards are gone. The Camarillo Police Department also offers free helmets at the station for youngsters.

Sage and Hanna- who was riding a scooter- were pleasantly surprised with the gift cards.

"I think I'm going to get a pair of shoes," said Hanna, 8. "I'm stoked and excited."

Novak stopped Hanna for not wearing a helmet about six weeks ago.

"It fires me up that they're listening," Novak said.

Sisters Annabel and Amaris Kim were rewarded in front of their home. The La Mariposa Elementary School students were excited to receive the gift cards as their small dog Miro peered out from Amaris' backpack.

Annabel, 9, said it was important to wear a helmet "because if you fall, you can hurt your head."

Brooke Fages was running to her son Ryley when she saw the police stop him. The thirdgrader at Tierra Linda has been riding a scooter for four years, always with a helmet.

"I was nervous," his mother said. "I was thinking, 'Am I supposed to be holding his hand crossing the street?'"

Novak stopped a big group of Las Colinas Middle School students, rewarding seven of them.

"This is a pretty good deal," said Vincent Iozzia, 13, a seventh-grader. He wears a helmet because "if I get hit by a car, I don't want my brain splattered all over the ground."

Seventh-graders James Adler and Andy Tingley also received gift cards. James always wears a helmet while riding his bike and skateboard.

"I'm used to doing it," he said.

Of course, not everyone sported headgear or wore it properly.

One student skated home holding a red helmet in his left hand.

A group of middle school skaters at Mission Oaks Park actually started running away from Novak when she walked up to them. The senior deputy explained the High Five to Stay Alive program to the students. As she walked back to the police SUV, one boy skated toward her, feverishly trying to get Novak's attention.

"Hey, I just got a helmet!" he said, but Novak didn't take the bait. The boy hadn't been wearing a helmet five minutes earlier.

"I'll wear it tomorrow," the boy said, then added, "Okay, every day."