Memories of 2 special children lead to Detroit police Little Free Libraries

DETROIT (WJBK) - Detroit Police Precincts and headquarters will soon be home to Little Free Libraries.

Police hope to put the little libraries at stations around town, as well as the light neighborhoods led by Detroit Police Capt. Darin Szilagy and his partner Corporal Edward Lawson.

They teamed up to get them at their precincts - and for each it was a personal mission.

Some of the boxes bear the names of Madalyn, 8 and Luke, 10 who lost  health battles to the same form of rare cancer.

Madalyn Szilagy, the daughter of Capt. Szilagy, was a voracious reader who loved books, her father said. Luke Stano, Corporal Lawson's nephew also greatly enjoyed reading.

"As a parent that's lost someone you have to always continue to do something positive or depression is a dark place, it will rob things of you like a thief in the night," Szilagy said. "She was a reading junkie to the extreme."

Lawson and Szilagy decided they would help remember, and honor the youngsters they lost through this effort.

"They both like books, they were both great kids and we thought in their memory this would be a fantastic thing," Szilagy said. "It kind of grew from a small idea into a big dream come true."

The pair hopes to raise money from the community to put up the libraries. They are accepting donations through https://littlefreelibrary.org, as well as the Detroit Police Foundation.

Currently the Third Precinct and headquarters have the Little Free Library. Three other precincts will be getting the free libraries in the next few days.

"It's a way to rally your community around reading and books," said Kim Kozlowski, Detroit Little Library's campaign coordinator. "And it’s also a way to get to know one another."