Members of the Tampa Police Department (TPD), including Interim Chief Lee Bercaw, Deputy Chief Calvin Johnson, and members of the Behavioral Health Unit, received donations of nearly 300 stuffed animals in the second Teddy Bears for TPD collection conducted by Saint Leo University, according to a university news release.
The university’s Tampa Education Center spearheaded the effort, and the teddy bears and stuffed animals were loaded into TPD vehicles at the education center at 1403 N. Howard Ave., in West Tampa.
Students, faculty, staff and the public donated the items, bringing them to the education center and to Saint Leo’s main campus, in St. Leo.
The nearly 300 teddy bears and other stuffed animals will be used by the unit and TPD officers to help children in crisis situations and during scary times.
This is the second year for the project, which was led by the Tampa Education Center and supported by faculty, staff, students and the public. Saint Leo’s Student Government Union and student groups also collected animals at its residential campus in Pasco County and at the East Pasco Education Center locations. This year’s collection drive yielded 300 stuffed animals.
Bercaw said that the bears can help start a conversation in a difficult situation.
“They can get a child smiling,” Bercaw said, in the release.
The stuffed animals will be used primarily by TPD’s Behavioral Health Unit officers, but also will be available in TPD offices. The officers in the Behavioral Health Unit help those who are vulnerable and those in crisis, and help to keep situations from escalating, the release says.
“Community support — such as that provided by Saint Leo University — is what we really need,” Bercaw said. “Saint Leo is a great partner for us and we appreciate the support.”
The idea of donating teddy bears was sparked by one of the Tampa center’s social work instructors, who discussed how children experience traumatic events, according to the release.
In late 2020, Saint Leo moved its Tampa location to the historic former Berriman-Morgan Cigar Factory building, 1403 N. Howard Ave.
“We really wanted to support our local community and give back,” said Rod Kirkwood, area director of Saint Leo’s Tampa Education Center. “Being able to partner with and support the Tampa Police Department is important, and we want interactions with the police to be positive for children, even if it’s a scary situation.”
Many of the university’s degree programs align with this project, including criminal justice and social work.
Bercaw is one of Saint Leo’s most recent graduates. He earned his Doctor of Criminal Justice degree earlier this year.
Published December 21, 2022
