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| Vol. 18, No. 5 | Oct. 1, 1998 |
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| Vol. 18, No. 5 | Oct. 1, 1998 |
Police officers fight crime, drugs, alcohol and gangs in many ways. Bill Eastridge, public safety, is combining music with a message as a member of the First State Force Band, composed entirely of police officers from Delaware.
"I have been playing guitar since I was 7 years old," Eastridge said. He has been playing lead guitar since joining the band over two years ago.
At that time, the band was regrouping after it broke up for several years, he explained. Two original members continued with the band, and Eastridge considers himself to be a "second original" member. Today, the band includes 12 musicians, 10 of them perform on stage, while the other two handle the lighting. The only non-law enforcement member is the professional soundman.
"I know of only seven bands like ours in the country," Eastridge said. "There is one in Philadelphia. However, ours is the only band with the members coming from several different police departments, rather than just one."
The band members, who wear their police uniforms for performances, visit a different school in Delaware each month during the school year. The band members spend the day with the kids: presenting two performances, eating in the cafeteria and visiting classrooms. The performances combine popular music of all kinds with brief messages about the dangers of drugs, alcohol and gangs.
"I don't do a lot of talking," Eastridge said. "The three lead singers do most of the singing and talking. Right now, we play popular rock and pop songs done by other people. Eventually, we want to play some of our own music. But," he added, "there definitely is a message in the music."
The band also performs several times a year outside the school environment. Performances include the annual police memorial service honoring officers killed in the line of duty held in Washington, D.C., Special Olympics programs and a camp for children. "Most of our performances are in Delaware," Eastridge said.
Eastridge's family comes to see him play mainly when the performances are on the weekend. They are very enthusiastic, he said. His superiors at the University also are very supportive of his involvement with the band. "My direct superior has come to see us play," Eastridge said.
A former officer at the Cecil County, Md. Detention Center, Eastridge came to the University eight years ago. He works the night shift and takes business classes at Delaware Tech in his spare time.
"We want to let kids know that cops are not bad people," said Eastridge. "We get a lot of positive feedback from the kids about what we are doing."
The band will perform at noon, Saturday, Oct. 3, at Woodburn, the Delaware governor's mansion in Dover, for Governor's Day.
-Gail E. Walford
Photo by Robert Cohen
