Open House at St. Joe Police Department & Bye Bye St. Joe

Our last day in St. Joseph, Missouri started off in the morning at the Law Enforcement Center (LEC). A new expansion of the building, which houses both the St. Joseph Police Department and the Buchanan County Sheriff's Office, had just been completed and today was an open house for the public.

Training Sergeant Marla Wilson (the lady in red) greeted us on the steps of the LEC and was our tour guide.

Several local politicians gave speeches in the training room of the Police Department explaining how the expansion had all come about. By the time everyone finished speaking, we decided it was kind of neat that our group of 4 was about the only "public" who came to the shindig. Most of the rest were somehow involved in the expansion project.

This is Marla's office where she thinks about ways to recruit new officers and train old ones.

Here Marla is explaining to our group (including both television and newspaper reporters) how the reception area of the St. Joseph Police Department now appears a lot friendlier and less scary than it did in the past.

This is the roll call room...straight out of Hill Street Blues.

Marla proudly showed us the gym housed in the building. She is an avid user of the facility.

Pause for a family snap. Notice Carol (the OTHER lady in red)...like mother like daughter...and it WASN'T planned.

Proof Doug, Marla, Sean and Carol were there appeared in the St. Joseph News-Press the next day. Marlon's black shoe DOES appear in the lower left hand corner, but wasn't mentioned in the photograph caption.

After the open house, we met Marlon's dad for one last big meal.

Trina showed up for a final goodbye as we left Sharp RV Park about 3pm. Thanks to Sharp for letting us stay past the noon checkout.

Trina had come to show off her new hair color. Not bad!

For more pictures of today's events, go to http://public.fotki.com/Marlonfleenor/1/2007/august/sgt-marla-wilson-gi/ .

To be continued...