3/13/2025 PBPN Tribal Police Department Community Resource Officer Tanner Lemery shows “Clifford Takes a Ride” to Ben-no-tteh Wigwam Head Start children.
Early Thursday morning, March 13th, 2025, Prairie Band Potawatomi Tribal Police Department (PBPN Tribal PD) Officer Tanner Lemery read to children at the Ben-no-tteh Wigwam Head Start. He entertained the young listeners with a special book and QnA focused on car safety education.
3/13/2025 Officer Lemery speaks with Head Start students on car seat safety tips.
Officer Lemery shared “Clifford Takes a Ride,” a book featuring the beloved big red dog and his owner Emily learning about car seats and vehicle safety. The book comes from a joint partnership between Safe Kids Worldwide and Mercedes-Benz USA as part of their efforts to educate parents and kids on important vehicle safety tips.
Officer Lemery’s reading event carries special significance following his recent recognition as the 2025 Car Seat Technician of the Year. The National Child Passenger Safety Board, which operates under a Safe Kids Worldwide’s training program, honored Officer Lemery with this prestigious award for his dedication to promoting car seat safety among children and families in the community.
3/13/2025 Head Start students listen as Officer Lemery shows pictures from “Clifford Takes a Ride.”
As one of Kansas’ 28 Safe Kid Coalitions, Prairie Band Potawatomi Safe Kid Coalition is a key promoter of children’s safety education. Officer Lemery is just one of the many PBPN Tribal PD personel certified in car seat safety.
“We have many officers who recently received their car seat technician certification, but we plan on continuing to train more and expand our program,” said Officer Lemery. “I’d say currently over half of our officers are trained in car seat safety.”
After finishing the book, Officer Lemery answered questions from the children about car safety and his work as a police officer. The reading is part of his ongoing weekly interactions with Head Start, where he not only educates children about safety, but also builds positive relationships to help students see police officers as trusted community helpers.
3/13/2025 Officer Lemery answers student questions.
For more information on the department’s community outreach efforts, visit the PBPN Tribal PD’s Facebook page, HERE.