By Sheri Trusty, Seneca County Sheriff’s Office Public Relations Coordinator
Seneca County Sheriff’s Deputy Christopher Potter and Deputy Alyssia Hammons weren’t off duty just because they were passing out toys and candy at Downtown Tiffin’s Christmas in July event on July 17. While they handed out Skittles and slinkies, they had to keep an eye on the prisoner in the backseat of their cruiser. He was angry, sneaky, and mean.
“We caught the Grinch,” Deputy Hammons said.
The deputies were happy to be part of Downtown Tiffin’s Third Thursday event. They joined the Tiffin Police Department, Tiffin Fire Department, and Seneca County CERT in a downtown parking lot where they had the chance to talk with children in a fun atmosphere, helping the kids see that emergency personnel are their friends.
“I like deputies because they’re nice,” said eight-year-old Eva Marino. “They help people. They’re just very helpful and trustworthy.”
Four-year Keaton Young attended Christmas in July with his parents and twin sisters, Hallie and Hayden Young. The deputies gave Keaton candy, a slinky, a sticker and a temporary tattoo. What did he think of his tattoo?
“It’s pretty good,” he said.
Ten-year-old Adelaide Craddolph said she really liked the deputies’ cruiser, and nine-year-old Mariah Persinger said her favorite gift was a pink slinky.
“I like the color. It’s my favorite color,” she said.
Four-year-old Madix Kerr said he liked the candy and the tattoo, and ten-year-old Cruze Bustillos said he thinks deputies are “cool because they put bad people in jail.”
Some of the kids visited the deputies’ table wearing fireman hats they got from Tiffin firemen, but Deputy Potter reminded them that the deputies had something even better.
“The firemen have cool hats, but they can’t lock up the Grinch,” he said.
Four-year-old Garbriel Cummings didn’t need to be convinced that the Seneca County Sheriff’s Deputies are cool. He said he wants to be one when he grows up.
“They are superheroes,” he said. “I just like everything about them.”