The Owl is unable to say with any credibility that she misses wrestling Owlets into car seats. Or wrestling car seats into cars. Fortunately for those still involved in hand-to-hand combat with harnesses, click-in seats and everything else, we now have a Weston-based Child Passenger Safety (CPS) technician who can help out with some of that (not the part where you wrestle your kid into the seat though).

Weston Police Officer Amanda Broughton is nationally certified as a CPS technician–which means you don’t have to be. CPS technicians and instructors use their extensive knowledge and expertise in a variety of community-based activities, such as child safety seat checks, where parents and caregivers receive education and hands-on assistance. CPS technicians and instructors also keep up-to-date on the latest technical information about child passenger safety through seminars and other continuing education opportunities.

Officer Broughton will be taking appointments for child safety seat checks and installations. You can schedule a one-on-one appointment by e-mailing her at broughton.a@police.westonma.gov. These appointments are open to Weston residents only.

During such appointments, please feel free to bring any level of child passenger seat from still in the box to partially or fully installed. This includes newborn safety seats to young child booster seats. Please also be prepared to bring the vehicle owner’s manual and the child safety seat manual.

In addition, please take advantage of the following resources:

The site to check any possible recalled products, specifically including child safety seats: https://www.nhtsa.gov/recalls#car-seats.

Becoming a technician and finding local technicians: https://cert.safekids.org.