BPD helps to direct traffic, during first days of elementary school opening

BEATRICE, NEB. - There’s nothing quite like the feeling of going back to school. For parents and children alike, there’s a mix of uncertainty and excitement.

Throw in a brand new building, that blends a collection of schools that have been around for decades, and that multiplies. Add some street closures to it, it gets even more uncertain. Because of this, Beatrice Police are on site of the new Beatrice Elementary School for the first two days of its opening.

“Obviously, they’re still working on Lincoln St., so traffic’s going to be a bit of a mess on 33rd, so they just asked us to come out and direct traffic.”

BPD Chief Jay Murphy spent Thursday morning, near the schools east entrance, directing cars in and out of the area on 33rd St. Lincoln St. remains closed in the area of Christ Community Church east to 33rd.

Murphy says helping direct traffic is good for the community to know the department is around, but it also saves them time in the event that something goes wrong.

“If we have an accident, we’re out here anyway,” Murphy said. “It’s great for us to come out and show the kids and the parents that we’re involved… It’s the first day so it’s kind of a learning process.”

And Murphy says, with that learning process, safety is first and foremost.

“Be courteous,” Murphy said. “You owe it to the vehicles, it’s going to be congested here, be nice to your neighbor, let people in and out and be nice to your neighbor.”