Popping up all over Londonderry are brightly colored signs trumpeting support for Londonderry Police Officers. The signs feature a blue heart and say: “We (heart) our Police Officers.”
The campaign started with the Londonderry NH Moms Facebook group but is organized by Crystal Ashman and Laurie Laconta. Ashman had a printing company contact and found the price was right, and they were off and running.
Signs cost $8.50 each and are available through word of mouth and through the group’s Facebook page. Ashman said they’ve sold and delivered 100 signs, with 60 more due for delivery Aug. 5. She said they order the signs in batches of 50.
“We’ve had support from many,” Ashman said. “The Town Council contributed $500 to help with the campaign and any money left over after we pay for the signs will be donated to the Londonderry Police. Town Manager Kevin Smith gave us some businesses that he thought would help, and several have.”
The signs campaign was motivated by recent events around the country. When one of the Londonderry NH Moms Facebook group members told the group she had seen a sign supporting the town police in a Massachusetts community, the idea took off.
“We are all aware of the events that have been happening and while we hope nothing like that will happen here, we wanted our police to know we support them because they have helped lots of families,” she said.
Both women work full time but they plan to be set up in front of the Londonderry High School front entrance a couple of nights a week to sell the signs.
“When we are there, we’ll post a couple of our signs at the entrances to Londonderry High and we will post it on Facebook and the Londonderry NH Moms Facebook group,” she said.
One Londonderry Police Officer, Brian Allaire, is excited about the campaign and has pledged to stop at every sign he sees and sign his badge number.
“I have always thought the relationship between the Londonderry Police Department and the community has been one of the best I have seen in my professional career, and those signs show it. I am very grateful for the support and I hope we always live up to it,” aid Londonderry Police Chief William Hart.
Anyone interested in obtaining a sign can contact Ashman at crystal@cbcrealty.com or by calling 490-0203.