Police 'Raid' Mill Hill School - With Pizza!

Fairfield Police officers can be good at surprising people, particularly when they are trying to catch speeders or executing search-and-seizure warrants.

But the surprise police officers delivered Thursday afternoon at Mill Hill School was the kind that brings a smile to students, particularly if the students are hungry - 40 pizzas, all for the elementary school's fifth-graders.

"It was very fun. We had a pizza party at our school," said Gregory Long, 10, a Mill Hill School fifth-grader. "We got cop cards, we got a bunch."

Hillary Long, Gregory's mom, said police officers stopped by the elementary school with pizza during Mill Hill's lunch period to thank fifth-graders who made and delivered a giant card and gift basket to the Police Department in December as part of a community service project. She said the project, which also included a card and gift basket for firefighters, was to thank police officers and firefighters for protecting the town.

Mill Hill Principal Kevin Chase said students had no idea police were coming to the school. "It was completely a surprise for all the children," he said. "The children really enjoyed themselves."

Chase said the pizza delivery by Fairfield's finest was "a nice reciprocation of thanks" for fifth-graders who had thanked police officers for protecting the community. All of Mill Hill's fifth-graders had signed a 12-inch by 15-inch card that featured original art work of a police officer on the front, and the gift basket was filled with baked goods made by Mill Hill students and their moms, Long said. She said the Police Department's return thank you on Thursday was "very, very nice."

Jackson Seymour, 10, a Mill Hill fifth-grader, said he and the other 85 fifth-graders were really surprised when police officers arrived at their school carrying pizzas.

Officers who stopped by included DARE Officers Jay Valle and George Buckmir, Police Chief Gary MacNamara, Deputy Police Chief Christopher Lyddy, Lt. Jim Perez, Sgt. Sue Lussier and Officer Jenna Siraco.

Long said firefighters let kids climb aboard fire trucks and gave them Fire Department hats when Gregory, Jackson, Connor Boyle and three to four other students stopped by the Fire Department, which is next to the Police Department on Reef Road. "They were so sweet. They were really, really nice," Long said of firefighters.

Jackson said, "They brought us in, they put us on the trucks, they gave us stickers and hats."