Sean C. Morgan
A Sweet Home man honored the Sweet Home Police Department and Sweet Home Fire and Ambulance District last week by cutting and painting wooden silhouettes for display on their lawns and on special days.
The image of a police officer kneeling solemnly before a cross spent the last week on the front lawn of the Police Department, but has been moved behind the department’s back fence to keep it safe. It remains visible from the parking lot.
At the fire department, the silhouette depicts a firefighter carrying an ax and an American flag.
The silhouettes were created and donated by Tom Cleary, said Community Services officer Gina Riley. “He just tinkers around with wood. He called Chief Jeff Lynn one day and said, ‘I kind of tinker in this stuff’ and asks, ‘Would you mind?’”
He told Lynn he had an idea about a silhouette of a police officer, Riley said, and Lynn said, sure.
“So this beautiful silhouette and cross just showed up on our lawn,” Riley said. “It’s wonderful.”
No one else knew it was coming, Riley said. The public noticed too.
“Our phone is blowing up,” she said. “Our Facebook is blowing up. We’ve had nothing but positive comments.”
Cleary declined to be interviewed or photographed.
“He didn’t want to bring attention to himself,” Riley said. “He said, ‘I did this because I appreciate my Police Department.”
He described to her how police officers go out every day not knowing what will happen, and they put their lives on the line, she said.
“It’s a very nice gesture someone from our community made for us to put up during memorial events,” said Fire Chief Dave Barringer said.
Police and fire officials decided not to leave the silhouettes on their lawns.
Something is going to happen to it if they do, Riley said.
Instead, they’ll bring them out on special days, Memorial Day, 9/11, Veterans Day and other notable occasions, the same days the Vets Club puts out the flags on Main Street.