8 AMERICAN POLICE BEAT: APRIL 2017 If you know who Magnus Carlsen or Bobby Fischer is, you’re probably familiar with the game of chess. “Chess only appeals to quite a small minority. It does not have the cachet of a mainstream popular sport,” world champion Magnus Carlsen says. But in St. Louis, local offi- cers are using chess as a way to connect with kids in the community and build some bridges that can last. The St. Louis Police De- partment has partnered with the Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis along with the St. Louis public schools. It sounds pretty simple, but there’s a lot to it. The program “CHESS” stands for “Chess Helping Enhance Student Skills.” In order for officers to participate, they have to be certified chess instructors. The cops then teach the game to the kids. “Our officers are so ex- cited to be a part of this program,” noted Lieuten- ant Perri Johnson of the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department. “It is critical for law enforcement to establish positive relationships with members of the St. Louis community early on, and this program helps us do just that.” “Saint Louis CHESS Cops is a program that shows off the Chess Club and Scho- lastic Center of Saint Louis’s positive involvement in the community and current af- fairs,” said Tony Rich, CC- SCSL Executive Director. “It is a prime example of how chess can teach funda- mental lessons, build con- structive relationships, and ultimately make a differ- ence in the lives of young people.” One of the advantages of teaching kids how to play chess is the fact that the game requires so much criti- cal thinking, analysis and strategy – all things that help kids navigate life as well as the board. Knights, bishops & pawns State troopers have lot of responsibilities, but changing people’s tires ain’t one of them. But a lady that broke down recently when her tire blew on the Ohio turnpike got lucky. A trooper with the Ohio State Highway Patrol rolled up and asked her if she needed help. She said she had AAA, but the trooper took care of it. Rachel White shared this picture with Ohio State Police, saying how much she appreciated the trooper’s act of kindness. White’s a single mom and said the trooper would never know how much that act of kindness meant. The Ohio State Patrol got a lot of traffic on their Facebook page as a result of the trooper’s actions. Unfortunately he was not identified by name in the post. Let us know if you know him by e-mailing info@apbweb.com. It’s usually the little things that folks appreciate the most www.UnitedByLight.org National PoliceWeek 2017 Your purchases help support the work of the Memorial Fund. May13,2017 Candlelight Vigil Every year, thousands of people are United By Light during the annual Candlelight Vigil, in Washington, DC. Together, we can spread the light into communities throughout the country, in honor of our law enforcement heroes. Join today at: UNITED BY LIGHT www.ShopLawMemorial.org | 1-866-569-4928 2017 National Police Week T-Shirts 2017 National Police Week Badge 2017 Candlelight Vigil T-Shirt 2017 National Police Week Hat 2017 Memorial Challenge Coin