By Ben Cox
Photos/Ben Cox & Kyla Hurt
South Jacksonville Police Chief Eric Hansell presented an idea for LEGO cars to the Village Board of Trustees earlier this year as a way to not only promote the police department and the Village but also to bring joy to children.
Hansell told the board the idea sprung from one of the many promotional kits they receive in the police department for different products and services.
One of the companies had its own mini LEGO kit with their promotional package and Hansell wondered if it was something new the department could use as promotional material, particularly for things like fairs and National Night Out where officers have a lot of interaction with children, particularly older children.
Hansell then set SJPD Office Manager Sheryl Dossett on a mission to find a way to make the kits as well as what it would cost to put it all together. Dossett says that her idea centered around a replica of a South Jacksonville police squad car, “I started the process and researched different companies and found one that’s based out of Utah.”
Dossett says once the Village board approved the usage of the village tourism funds and the size of the kit, she began the process of proofing the squad car LEGO set with the company, Brick Loot. The Lindon, Utah based company was founded in 2013 by 9-year-old Parker Krex, a LEGO enthusiast who started a monthly LEGO subscription service with his parents.
Brick Loot specializes in customized builds for enthusiasts. The Village board also received $217 in financial support for the kits from Centenary United Methodist Church of Jacksonville.
Dossett says it was a lengthy process, “It took a good four or five months to get the LEGOS figured out as far as the design. We took pictures of the current squad car, sent it in and they did all the designs. We approved all the stickers and everything and designed the box ourselves. It was a long process but it was fun.” The 189-piece set has a unique box that is complete with instructions on how to build the car but also a short history of the South Jacksonville Police Department on the side.
Dossett says the company did a quick shipment of 60 kits to make it in time for the Morgan County Fair. On Saturday, July 12, LEGO enthusiasts in the area tried their hand at the kit. The contest was sponsored by Scouting for America, Abraham Lincoln Council. Prizes were awarded in three age groups at the Merchant Building on the fairgrounds for the free contest. The top two finishers in each of the categories earned an automatic bid to compete in the Illinois State Fair LEGO Contest in August.
Dossett says not to worry if you weren’t able to get in on the LEGO contest at the Morgan County Fair, “I think we’re going to do a LEGO contest at the Prairie Land Heritage Museum’s Steam Show, as well. I’m [also] going to see about hopefully raffling one or two of the kits off at National Night Out in August.”
