City of Lakewood Honors Frontline Workers

Signs acknowledge sacrifices being made for the community

The City of Lakewood posted large signs in four prominent locations across the community today in honor of frontline workers.

“As the leader of a 400-person enterprise, I am particularly aware of the health and safety of my team who provide for the health and safety of the 51,000 people living in this community and thousands more who work or shop here. The City of Lakewood’s Fire Department, Police Department, and Public Works Department are battling against COVID-19 every day, in addition to the countless health care, logistics, and food service workers who live in Lakewood, to provide us some semblance of normalcy in these unprecedented times. They deserve our highest praise and gratitude. These signs are just one gesture to call attention to the sacrifices they are making for our benefit.”

The City’s Public Works sign shop created the signs this week after the Mayor’s Office suggested City Hall should find a way to acknowledge the community’s frontline workers.

“We had all the materials in-house. It didn’t take long for our team to lay out the design for the signs, create them, and get them posted without spending any extra money,” Public Works Director Roman Ducu said. “Our guys work hard and it’s really humbling to be honored alongside Police and Fire for what we’re doing during this pandemic.”

The signs, which are 4’ x 10’ and 4’ x 8’, carry the message, “THANK YOU FRONTLINE WORKERS. Police and Fire, City Service and Grocery Staff, Delivery Drivers and Healthcare Workers and Everyone Else on the Front Lines. YOU ARE OUR HEROES.”  The signs are placed conspicuously at Madison Park, Lakewood Park, City Hall, and City Center and will remain posted for the foreseeable future.

The City’s Fire Department has a team of 72 firefighters/paramedics and 18 officers. “Everyone in the Fire Department is a frontline worker,” Fire Chief Tim Dunphy said. “We are running three shifts, twenty-four hours a day, every day, all year, every year. Our members are covering multiple roles and backing each other up. We’re watching out for Lakewood and for each other.”

Lakewood’s Police Department has a staff of 125 people, with 115 of them serving in a frontline capacity, providing direct-contact safety services. Police Chief Tim Malley said, “Calls for service have gone down significantly. This has enabled our team to provide more support to the community in responding to health emergency calls and enforcing other COVID-19 related orders issued by the Governor.”

The Public Works Department in Lakewood has 130 employees, 77 of whom are frontline workers: 25 in the Division of Refuse & Recycling; 18 in the Division of Streets, Forestry, Signs, and Signals; 17 in the Division of Parks; 12 in the Division of Sewers; and 5 in the Division of Water.