Cops deliver special Valentines to Chaney students

YOUNGSTOWN

Usually, when several uniformed police officers are in one room, they turn heads — and not for a good reason.

But no so Wednesday at Chaney High School, as officers gave out candy and flowers to several students, leaving a lot of smiles in their wake when they left.

“It felt great,” student Dymond Warren said. “I wasn’t expecting this. It was a great surprise.”

Officers on the department’s day turn and some from the Community Police Unit also made deliveries to East, Cardinal Mooney and Ursuline high schools as well as to senior citizens at Norton Manor and Gutknecht Towers.

Giannios Candy helped by donating the gifts for the officers. Isabella Snyder, a cheerleader for Youngstown State University, also accompanied the officers.

For the students, officers made sure their deliveries went to special needs students or students who are loners or bullied.

Lt. Frank Rutherford, who is one of the dayturn supervisors, and officer George Wallace came up with the idea, saying they wanted to recognize kids who might feel bad because they feel they are left out of other activities.

Both Rutherford and Wallace, as well as the other officers who participated in the event, were touched by the reactions of the students who received gifts.

Read more about the gestures in Thursday's Vindicator or on Vindy.com.