Crime & Safety

Strapped In: Police Hold Clinic to Show Parents How to Properly Install Child Seats

Child Seat Safety Clinic to be held monthly, officers say.

The Village of Ridgewood Police Department has a new initiative to help parents properly strap in their children into child seats, and officers say it's more efficient than the old way, for both the police and the residents.

Sgt. Brian Pullman said that Child Seat Safety Clinic program began after the police department had spent individual sessions with parents, some of whom would need to come back multiple times for guidance. Residents would have to wait for a certified officer (there are six on the force), who would sometimes be on call or responding to another matter.

Police held their first clinic day from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday, and had roughly 10 or so people by 11 show up.

Find out what's happening in Ridgewood-Glen Rockwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

"It was a steady stream of people," Sgt. Peter Bolten said.

Officers said they always hope for more people, expect attendance to pick up as the program becomes better-known and vacation season ends.

Find out what's happening in Ridgewood-Glen Rockwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Pullman, head of the Traffic Safety division, said it's a better utilization of resources for the department to hold monthly seminars where all can attend. Residents still needing an emergency car seat installations and teaching sessions can still call the police, but citizens are encouraged to attend the meetings instead, where officers will show the dos and don'ts, as well as give personalized instruction and discuss common errors to avoid.

It's been a successful program for other municipalities, Pullman said, and he fully expects it to be in Ridgewood as well.

Bolten said many parents make the mistake of strapping the latches and the belt, when it should really just be one or the other, depending on the seat's instructions, he said.

"They incorrectly must think more is better," he said. "It's not."

Two soon-to-be parents were on hand to receive the instruction at about 11 a.m. Tom and Heather Zakian, who are expecting their first child late in September, saw a detailed electronic presentation before watching the officers show them the proper way to install the seat into their Acura. They both called the instruction "excellent" and said it came highly recommended.

The service is free, and will be held once a month at the garage in the back of Village Hall. Residents do not need to make appointments; just head to the garage. They must bring their own car seats as well as vehicles. Call Pullman at 201-251-4550 for inquiries regarding the program or emergency installations.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

To request removal of your name from an arrest report, submit these required items to arrestreports@patch.com.