With a determination to give back to the city they intend to protect and serve upon graduation from the academy, a group of Springfield police recruits spent time on Saturday, October 11th cleaning and planting trees at two local parks.  As the rain fell steadily around 9 a.m., the group stayed busy by digging holes to house the heavy root balls of new trees that are intended to beautify Hennessy Park in the city’s Bay Neighborhood.

“We’re planting a mix of shade trees and ornamental trees, and the recruits are cleaning up the overgrown brush along the exterior fence of the park,” said Ed Casey, the City of Springfield’s forester. “I’ve worked with a lot of volunteer groups over the years, but these guys have been great. I think it’s great they are out here spending time in the neighborhoods before they start on the force.”

The group of recruits reached out to Regreen Springfield for its community service project, which they must complete ahead of graduation, which is scheduled to take place on October 30th.  The recruits also cleaned up brush at the park and proceeded to Adams Playground on Wilbraham Road to clean up the area and re-paint pieces of playground equipment.

“We needed to do a community service project for the academy,” Police Academy recruit Andrew Normand said. “So what better way to leave your mark than plant trees in the park today.” Normand, who had previously volunteered with ReGreen Springfield , said each class at the Police Academy is required by curriculum to work on a community service project.

To view a gallery of photos from the event, visit http://regreenspringfield.com/gallery/springfield-police-academy-day-of-service/