Former Oneida Police Chief David Meeker recently passed away and his legacy of community outreach and engagement and his efforts to support the community’s youth is one that the department is hoping to carry on.
“I remember, actually, early on playing basketball with Chief Meeker,” said Oneida Police Chief John Little. “We used to play at schools on certain nights of the week.”
Chief Little is thankful to have learned from Chief Meeker. Not long ago, Chief Little says Meeker’s wife donated sports bags and equipment to the police department. A bag is in every patrol vehicle.
“So we have in here a basketball, kickball, volleyball and we even have some sidewalk chalk,” he said while looking through a bag.
On a hot, late-summer day, Juvenile Aid Officer and Criminal Investigator Christopher “Kip” Bailey put the donations to use as they found 15-year-old Atticus Roque shooting hoops.
“That’s what’s fun about this job. Their assumption of us is that we come out and say, ‘Hey, you can’t be here right now. School is closed,’ or whatever, which is not the case obviously. So instead we’re gonna turn it around and it’s gonna be a positive thing,” Bailey said.
They played for several minutes, and after a game of knock-out, it was time to say goodbye.
“We ultimately want to be the person to make change, and I think a lot of cops can agree with me that our job as cops, we definitely want to help people, even if it’s just one person at a time,” Bailey said.
Chief Little says Oneida is a city that feels like a small town but isn’t immune from city issues. The hope is that this helps kids and police.
“With staffing, calls and investigations that are just pulling us in different directions, it makes it difficult. If there is an opportunity though, our road guys and us included in investigations, we will definitely stop and take that opportunity because just that one little small interaction could change that path that kid was thinking. Things like that. You just never know why you were placed in certain situations so I think it’s important to take advantage of it each time,” Bailey said.
Chief Little thinks Chief Meeker would approve of the efforts.
“I think he would be happy. He was a big football fan. He was a big sports fan and he loved kids,” Chief Little said. “He was a big Buffalo Bills fan. So go Bills for Chief Meeker.”
