Junior Police Officers, or JPOs, have been an island tradition for as long as I can remember. They protect children in crosswalks on the way to and from school. I decided to look into it more closely last month and found its roots surprisingly go back 98 years to 1922.

Back then, cars were fairly new in the islands, and both pedestrians and drivers were less experienced in dealing with each other.

Junior Police Officers was the brainchild of LeRoy Blessing of the Honolulu Automobile Club, and Sheriff Charles Rose. Mayor John Wilson was a big supporter.

Thirty-three boys, mostly Boy Scouts, served at its inception at Lincoln School on Victoria Street.

Patsy Saiki wrote about JPOs in 1956. She said there were 4,800 JPOs on Oahu serving at 485 established control points and more on neighbor islands.

“These 4,800 JPOs put in about 725 hours of active duty every school day, serving from 7:45 to 8:15 each morning and from 2:45 to 3 in the afternoon,” rain or shine.

“They are stationed at important school crosswalks to safeguard the students and at the same time to expedite motorist traffic by getting the students to cross in a group. They are a reminder to the driving public that there is a crosswalk there, and to exercise caution.”

The JPOs relieved 140 police posts, Saiki figured, allowing them to focus on more serious matters, and saving taxpayers money at the same time.

Without JPOs we could not maintain an adequate protection of children walking to schools, Honolulu Police Department Sgt. John Stanley told an interviewer in 1946.

The Legislature provided $500 in insurance against injury of JPOs and $250 for funeral expenses if they were killed! I don’t believe any ever were.

I asked some of my readers what it was like to be a JPO.

Carol Chun said that at public elementary schools the boys were JPOs and carried stop signs attached to a long metal rod.

“There was a captain who had whistle-blowing duties. One whistle and the signs were thrust into traffic, stopping the flow. Two whistles and the signs came up.

“Girls were CPOs (Campus Police Officers) and were stationed strategically around campus before and after school to ‘maintain order.’ We wore red felt armbands. The JPOs also had flag-raising duty.

“We all wanted to be part of this group because once a year there was a picnic and drill competition and a camp at Camp Kaiulani in Kailua.”

Russell Loo said when he was a student at Lincoln School in the early 1950s, the school had a strong JPO force.

“At that time the Lincoln School campus was located on Beretania and Victoria streets across from Thomas Square. Both girls and boys served in the program. The required uniform consisted of khaki pants, long-sleeved white shirts, black tie, plastic helmet and shoes.

“In those days none of us wore shoes except when we had JPO duty. A police officer trained us in how to stop traffic safely.

“We were stationed at Victoria Street intersections starting at Lunalilo Street (before there was a freeway) and going on down to Kinau, Beretania and King Streets.

“At each of these stations we had four sign holders and a sergeant, who blew the whistle.

“In those days all of these streets still had two-way traffic. Considering the way traffic is on the roads these days, it does seem questionable to give sixth graders the responsibility of stopping traffic on such major thoroughfares.

“But of course in the 1950s there were fewer people in Honolulu and much less traffic. I can’t remember any accidents happening as a result of our work, but I do remember some angry drivers who yelled at us for being stopped.

“All in all it was a good experience which most of us took seriously and with the intentions of doing a good job.”

Richard M. Sakoda was a JPO at Washington Intermediate school when King Street had two-way traffic. They had sign holders on both sides of the street who stopped oncoming traffic so fellow students could walk across King Street.

“If you can imagine, at times it could get risky for the sign holder. We never had an accident, but we did have cars stopping at the last minute.

“The coolest memory I have was saluting a police officer as he drove by. Some were nice enough to salute back. It was a real thrill when they did.

“Kudos to Mr. Oda, Washington Intermediate School teacher and Junior Police Officer adviser, for guiding my fellow JPOs and myself during such a formative part of our young lives.

“Mr. Oda also provided us with treats and even arranged for our group to fly to Kauai. This was my first trip to the neighbor island. It is a special memory.”

Gareth Sakakida was a JPO in the sixth grade at Kaahumanu Elementary School. “Our advisor was the vaunted Mrs. Vasconcellos.

“One day one of our JPOs was hijacked (money). Mrs. V was livid and conferred with our HPD representative. That officer then went undercover, standing near where our afflicted JPO was stationed. When the perpetrator — not from our school — came by, he was pointed out and the officer confronted him.

“I do not know the result of that discussion, but none of us was bothered by anyone again. Mrs. V was a very dedicated adviser who drove around the seven posts we had during our after-school duty to make sure everyone was doing their job properly.

“I know because she admonished me one day for leaving my post. A younger student had run up to me in fear of being beaten up, so I stepped back from my post to confront the aggressor. I stopped the fight, but it turned out that the aggressor was reacting to being the recipient of a racial slur.

“The fearful student admitted to doing it, so I counseled him against such action in the future. Fortunately, my sergeant vouched for my actions, and I was saved.”

“My fondest memory is of periodic excursions to Rainbow Rollerland” on Keeaumoku Street, one anonymous reader told me. “It was a reward for serving as a JPO.

“The trip there was on a modified open-air bus. It had the roof cut off, so the ride was breezy and cool.

“Once at Rainbow Rollerland, we were fitted for skates, then came free skating to organ music.

“There was a food concession. Not having much money, most of us opted for the fries, which allowed us to share a single order. The order was served in a paper coffee cup, with the pieces standing up. We would drench the fries in ample ketchup.

“After our skating session, we would board the bus for our ride back to the school campus. With high spirits, the ride was raucous, often drawing stares and laughter from those out and about on the streets.”

Some of the JPOs went on to join the Police Department, such as Simeon Kamoe, who had 26 years with HPD.

JoAnne Yamamoto said she has fond memories of being a JPO. “Sgt. Kamoe would come to Pohukaina School and teach the JPOs how to march and do precision drill routines, which enabled us to compete in the annual field day competition held at Ala Moana Beach Park.”

Pohukaina Elementary School was in Kakaako and at one time included disabled children and veterans, and mentally handicapped teenagers, Yamamoto recalls.

“I remember every morning and afternoon, special taxis would transport some of the crippled kids in wheelchairs or crutches to their special classrooms.

“When I was in the sixth grade, there was a tsunami warning right after lunch, and the school, being in an inundation zone, was forced to evacuate to Thomas Square.

“The JPOs, including myself, went to the kindergarten classes to help walk the kids up to the safe zone. I was awed when the taxi drivers that transport the crippled children were there quickly to pick them up.

“JPOs helped push some in wheelchairs to Thomas Square. There we all waited until our parents picked us up and an ‘all-clear’ was sounded.”

Have a question or suggestion? Contact Bob Sigall, author of the five “The Companies We Keep” books, at sigall@yahoo.com.