By Sue Loughlin
TERRE HAUTE — A Terre Haute police officer who volunteers his time teaching young people martial arts has received the Exchange Club of Terre Haute Law Enforcement Officer of the Year Award.
Cpl. Phil Haley, a 16-year veteran of the city Police Department, received the award Tuesday.
“Phil epitomizes what a police officer should be,” said Police Chief John Plasse, a former recipient of the same award. “He dedicates his life to helping our youth.”
The award presentation, which took place at the Holiday Inn, was part of the club’s celebration of Crime Prevention Month.
Haley started the martial arts program in 1997 in Sarah Scott Middle School to help students whose parents were not home when school was dismissed. It was part of a larger, after-school program Sarah Scott was developing.
Later, Haley expanded the martial arts program to include fifth-grade classes at Fuqua and Farrington Grove elementary schools and third-grade classes at Sugar Grove Elementary School. This year, he plans to start one at DeVaney Elementary for fifth-graders.
He also teaches an advanced program that can lead to black belt status, allowing dedicated students to learn martial arts skills from the elementary school to adulthood.
Haley’s program emphasizes good character and the qualities of discipline, respect and community service. Some of his martial arts students are now in college.
Haley, now a uniform officer, previously served 10 years as a detective/school liaison officer in the Juvenile Division — seeing firsthand the problems that his program is trying to prevent.
Haley said karate helped him a lot when he started learning it at age 14. He wasn’t gifted in other sports, and karate filled a gap in his life. “It did wonderful things for me. It made my grades better, and it’s something I’ve continued my whole life,” he said.
Now, he hopes he’s teaching young people something they, too, can use for the rest of their lives.
He not only volunteers his time to teach the classes, he also provides all equipment, belts and uniforms at no charge to the students.
Haley said the award “came as a total surprise … It’s nice to know that what you do is appreciated.”
Haley, 52, is a graduate of Schulte High School and Indiana State University. Before becoming a police officer, he was an international student adviser at Marian College.
In presenting the award, Exchange Club member Mike Ireland said, “These people [police officers] have to love what they do because it’s not always easy being on the line and putting up with some of those things they have to put up with.”
Plasse thanked the Exchange Club for honoring police officers. “Sometime it’s a thankless job, so when you recognize us, it shows us the community is behind us and it makes it worthwhile — everything we do to make our community safe,” Plasse said.
Sue Loughlin can be reached at (812) 231-4235 or sue.loughlin@tribstar.com.
