Newport News, Virginia - Police Memorabilia, Officer Bear

This is basically a collection of police memorabilia, mostly relating to Newport News and what used to be Warwick County, Virginia. They have some good old photographs, uniforms, nightsticks, a memorial to fallen NNPD officers, badges, patches, etc., plus free gun locks, some stickers and toy badges for the kids, and lots of pamphlets on safety, gangs, drugs, and the N.N. citizen's academy. They also have some interesting small displays on dangerous narcotics, a picture of Dan Quayle astride a police Harley, and some weapons confiscated from criminals. They plan to expand their museum and meeting facilities in the near future.

Unfortunately I missed the best part: Officer Bear, a remote-controlled teddy bear in a NNPD uniform who sits on a tricycle outside the center and watches traffic--his head swivels by remote control to watch passing cars. Sadly, when I was there his head had been removed for repairs.

The center is located in "Historic Hilton Village," the first government housing for war workers in the country. Hilton Village is in the style of English country houses and was, I believe, built for shipyard workers at the end of World War I. It now house a bunch of yuppified shops and restaurants.

For non-yuppified food near the police outreach center check out Monty's Penguin (diner style food and soft ice cream, with a huge neon penguin sign) and the Blue Star diner (classic Art-Deco diner), both about two blocks to the east. [Willie Zaza, 07/19/2007]