Newberg-Dundee Police Dept. Unveil Suicide Awareness & Prevention Vehicle (Photo) -08/05/19
Today, at Newberg High School, the Newberg-Dundee Police Department officially unveiled a new police vehicle with special graphics and lighting to raise awareness for Suicide Prevention. The details and background of this project are listed below:
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On January 9, 2015, 17 year old Page Petersen took his own life. Page was a student at Newberg High School and his death has left an emptiness in all of those he left behind. Another victim of teen suicide.
In a search to find some healing from this tragic story, the Petersen family approached the Newberg-Dundee Police Department with an idea to honor Page’s memory in a manner to reach the highest number of students and therefore the most vulnerable in our community to teen suicide.
A proposal was made to design a police car with special graphics for Suicide Awareness & Prevention. This vehicle would act as a rolling billboard with hopeful messages displayed right on the car along with the phone number for a suicide hotline. What better place to assign that vehicle than with our School Resource Officer, Jeff Moreland? More graphics were designed to include a bold Newberg High School “Tiger” logo right on the hood. The markings would be consistent with the NDPD fleet, but the purple and turquoise would represent national suicide prevention colors.
The car will be seen every day by hundreds of students and will, at the very least, spread awareness. We hope the message will go further by reinforcing the idea that our community youth can approach our officers if they need to talk or want access to resources. Officer Moreland has thousands of interactions with kids and has built lasting relationships at our schools. Kids are going to want to check out this car, see the lights and take pictures with it. All the more reasons to start a conversation and a chance for a positive contact with our youth.
Several vendors and local agencies were quick to join in after receiving word of this project. All of the merchandise was either donated or purchased with 100% donated funds. That includes the car itself which was acquired from another police agency.
Community partners on this project include Star Cars in Dundee, Sirennet in Tigard, Newberg Ford, The Newberg Thrift Shop, The Newberg-Dundee Police Foundation, Willcuts Company Realtors, and of course the Petersen family. Special thanks to Providence Newberg Medical Center and the Newberg School District for their continuous support on this serious issue.
The Newberg-Dundee Police Department is so proud to be entrusted by the Petersen family to display a positive message in honor of their son. A caption on the rear deck lid of the patrol car reads, “…In the memory of Page Petersen…Class of 2015.”
