On the brief side...

Free Education For Cops: Acting on the premise that college-educated police officers can be an asset to the department, City Council Speaker Peter Vallone joined educators and police union officials in proposing a $2 million plan to provide free tuition to officers who attend college.

"Providing free-of-charge courses will give our officers the credits they need for promotion," Vallone stated. "This innovative program will also give our cops knowledge and insight that will help them work in New York City’s diverse communities."

The proposed funding would support the Police Studies Certificate Program at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, giving up to 2,000 uniformed officers the opportunity to enroll in the innovative program. Vallone also said the program could help minority cops to attain higher ranks in the department adding to greater diversity in the upper echelons.

SABBA PARK DEDICATION: The Joe Sabba Memorial Park at Queens Boulevard and 50th Street, Woodside, named in memory of the late civic activist, will be dedicated tomorrow at 1 p.m. in a groundbreaking ceremony performed by Councilmember Walter McCaffrey (D-Woodside), Parks Commissioner Henry Stern and Community Board 2 Chairman Joseph Conley.

The memorial park will be built with a $500,000 budget allocation secured by McCaffrey. The reconstruction project will include new decorative paving, benches, trees and other landscaping elements and safety barriers to protect park visitors from the heavy traffic on Queens Boulevard.

The park was dedicated to Sabba, who published the Woodside Herald, in commemoration of his many activities in Woodside and Sunnyside, including founding of the Sunnyside Marching Band.

SEEK SUPPORT FOR AIDS BIKE RIDE: John and Rita Manton of Sunnyside will participate in the Northeast AIDS Ride from July 19th to 22nd from New York City to Boston to raise funds to fight the disease. On May 9th they will hold a fundraiser at the Anoroc Democratic Club, 45-23 47th St., Woodside from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.

This is the Mantons’ seventh year in the ride. They hope to raise $30,000 toward the event’s overall goal of $6 million from the 350-mile, four-day bicycle ride.

Dinner will be served at the May 9 event courtesy of Dazie’s restaurant in Sunnyside. The Tom Cat Bakery is contributing bread and rolls. R.S.V.P. to (718) 672-5604 or e-mail JRBeano@aol.com.

METROCARD BUS SKED FOR N.E. QUEENS: From now through June, the MTA and New York City Transit have established a schedule of appearances for the MetroCard bus in Councilmember Sheldon Leffler’s northeast Queens district, Leffler (D-Queens Village) announced.

The bus, serving seniors and the disabled, will be at the following locations on the following dates:

•Glen Oaks Shopping Center, 260th Street and Union Turnpike, Apr. 25, May 9, 23 and June 13, 27 from 10 a.m. to noon.

•Windsor Park, 73rd Avenue and Bell Boulevard, May 9 and June 13 from 1 to 3 p.m.

•Fran Hill Shopping Center, Francis Lewis Boulevard and Hillside Avenue, Apr. 27, May 25 and June 22 from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m.

•Bell Park Manor at Key Food, 220-46 Hillside Ave., Apr. 27, May 25 and June 22 from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m.

•SNAP Senior Center, 80-45 Winchester Blvd., Building 4, Apr. 26, May 25 and June 28 from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m.

•North Shore Towers, 272-40 Grand Central Pkwy., Apr. 21 from 10 a.m. to noon.

For more information, call Leffler’s office at (718) 465-8203.

STAVISKY: P.S. 214 PROJECT ON AGAIN: When Principal Howard Merims was informed that long-awaited plans to make repairs to P.S. 214 in Flushing had been cancelled, he informed state Senator Toby Stavisky (D-Flushing) and she interceded with the School Construction Authority (SCA) to get the plans back on track.

The plans include repairing broken windows that had been nailed shut, correcting a basement water leak, installing a new fire alarm system and upgrading the heating plant.

WANTS SEAT BELTS ON SCHOOL BUSES: School Board 30 member Jeannie Tsavaris Basini has proposed that School District 30 adopt her resolution to require seat belts on all school buses, including buses transporting special education students, and to develop a seat belt safety plan at every school in the district.

Tsavaris Basini said many parents and educators, citing the positive results of seat belt use in motor vehicles, have advocated their use on buses, as well to enhance student safety.