Police Day 2004
Where There's Smoke, There Is Barbecue

Photos by Larry Beverly, Rich McManus

There is at least one day every year when the smell of smoke in Bldg. 1 is cause not for alarm but for pleasure. That's the day when volunteer chefs fire up the grills and make lunch for whomever drops by the NIH Police Day observance on the building's front lawn.

As in years past, the event on May 11 featured many jurisdictions, not just our own men and women in blue. Officer Martin Murray of the Metro Transit Police was on hand astride a Segway motor scooter, which his department uses to patrol parking lots and garages, he said. "We just got a third unit for our bomb squad," he explained. Members of that team wear 80 pounds of equipment, so the Segway moves them quickly and effortlessly to the scene of their deployment.

Officer Martin Murray of the Metro Transit Police demonstrates Segway motor scooter.

A variety of K-9 teams performed demonstrations throughout the observance, which lasted from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Master Patrol Officer Alan Blaum put NIH bomb dog Daisy through her paces, alongside teams from other forces. Visiting officers hailed from the U.S. Park Police, Chevy Chase Village Police, the Metro transit system, and from the military, among others.

Ofcr. Alan Blaum puts explosive- sniffing dog Daisy to work.

Guests tended to cluster at picnic tables arranged in the shade of large trees, or along a row of tables with brochures and such giveaways as police whistles and badges, plastic fire hats, cookies, reflectors, mugs, pencils and emery boards. The event coincides with National Police Week, during which the sacrifices of public safety officers are recognized.

It's hot work on the chow line each spring at NIH's observance of Police Day, but tables full of happy customers attest that the cooking is worth it.

The officers themselves had a chance to socialize and eat.

Larry Self (above) of OD enjoys picnic outdoors, as does a table full of NIH'ers (below).

Some MPs from the military were also on hand.

Manning the grills was hot work.