BREA : When Police Van Talks, Kids Listen

“Buster” used to roam the streets of Brea transporting drugs and dealers. But since police seized the 1989 Mitsubishi van in a drug bust last year, Buster has turned over a new floor mat.

These days the van, nicknamed Buster by the Brea Police Department’s DARE team, makes the rounds of elementary schools in Brea delivering an anti-drug message. Equipped with a computer and an electronic voice, the talking van acts as the fifth officer on the DARE team, and is far and away the most popular.

Officer Brian Parker, one of the DARE team officers assigned to Brea’s elementary schools, drove Buster to Mariposa Elementary School recently to talk to 70 first-graders.

The students knew Parker from previous DARE lessons, but had never met Buster. As they gathered on the school’s field, Parker explained to them that the talking van had drifted off to sleep waiting for the students to arrive.

“Let’s see if we can wake up Buster,” Parker said to the students.

He selected a volunteer to pound on the front of the van while he rocked it from side to side. To the delight of the students, Buster’s lights came on, his windshield wipers started up and the van began to speak.

“Hi kids!” the electronic voice said.

“Hi Buster!” they roared back.

For the next 10 minutes, the black and white van held the audience’s attention with a message about safety, the role of police officers and the danger of drugs.

There were several opportunities for the students to answer Buster’s questions, and each time 70 voices yelled a response. First-grade teacher Phyllis Chiles attributed that enthusiasm to the novelty of a talking van and to the children’s exposure to animation and special effects on television and in the movies.

“They are more impressed with the van than a person,” Chiles said. “They are really listening.”

For most of the first-graders, Buster’s message was the first time they heard about drugs from a law enforcement representative. Parker does not discuss drugs with students until they reach the second grade.

Students in other grade levels will also see Buster, but Parker said the impact is greatest on those in second grade and younger.

“Third-grade students are more interested in how the van works, what makes it talk,” Parker said. “This age is fascinated by the fact that it is talking to them.”

Next year Buster will have a separate message for students in second grade. The van will tell the story of its illicit past and how the Police Department “saved” it from a horrible life.

“We’re going to let the van tell its story,” Parker said.

Although Parker thinks the students are equally receptive to messages from him or the van, he said it was more exciting for them to hear a mechanical voice.

Buster is also a way for Parker to reach more students.

“Maybe there is a child who has had a bad experience with a police officer. Perhaps his parents were involved in an incident where the police were called. A mechanical police officer might have a different impact on them,” he said.

According to Parker, Buster is the only talking van in the state. Other cities do have police cars equipped with electronic voices, but none are used as a regular part of the DARE lessons, he said.

Parker and two other DARE officers visit elementary schools in Brea and Yorba Linda, which is served by the Brea Police Department.