DELLWOOD, Mo. – A crew of cooperatives set foot on a mission they’ll continue throughout the week, aiding the most vulnerable communities, which they’ve come to know well.
The hot and dangerous heat conditions have North County Police Cooperative (NCPC) hitting the streets of eight different municipalities. They said it was because they had gotten to know the people they were serving.
“Mmmm…. Good for the soul,” said Eula Cooper of Pine Lawn, after being given cold water from one of the sergeants she’s come to know personally.
“She stays out doing her yard all the time,” said Sgt. Derren Woods with NCPC.
He said he checks on Cooper daily, and it concerns him that she’s out in the heat, working on her yard, in her mid-90s.
“The weather is just getting excruciatingly hot out there,” said Major Ron Martin with NCPC.
It’s why Martin, Chief Buchannan, and several other cooperatives set out on foot to visit some of the most vulnerable populations they’ve been monitoring.
“We’re looking for dehydration… if they’re stumbling over words, those types of things,” Woods said.
Martin said that this is all part of keeping up with the job, which, they say, has changed over the years.
“A few decades ago, you counted on the police to go out and catch the bad guys, that’s not so much the case anymore,” he said.
From door to door, police gathered a list of those who could suffer the worst in the heat.
“I do shake a little bit, but I shake it off,” Cooper said.
On Tuesday, she’s not just shaking, but she’s sweating from the mid-90s temperatures.
“I don’t drink but a Pepsi once a day, a can of Pepsi, Pepsi Cola,” Cooper said.
Another reason cooperatives were concerned was because she spends most of her days outside, and with a helping hand and some water, it made her afternoon in the garden a bit safer.
“The red tomatoes, I can bring y’all a couple to see how beautiful they are,” Cooper said.
For decades, she has taken pride in her garden.
“To actually come and talk to our seniors, make sure they’re okay,” Woods said.
Something they try to do on a daily basis is form bonds with residents they check up on, and now, in the midst of the heat, they are providing water and other resources.
“Every week, I meet with a different city,” said Corpora Cory Hawkins-Byrd.
These bonds enable them to detect early warning signs of health concerns.
“You rely on your bond, your friendship, coming to see them all the time, that way you can tell if something’s off,” Woods said.
North County Cooperative said they’ll be completing the special heat operation for the rest of the week. If you have someone you want them to check in on or are concerned about, go to the North County Police Cooperatives website or call 314-428-6868.