Program helps kids connect with police
Big Brothers and Big Sisters members participate in Kids ’n Kops
Agroup of young people in the Big Brothers Big Sisters program has been spending the week with Lethbridge Police Service. Kids ’n Kops is an annual week-long program for children who are waiting to be matched up with a mentor through the Big Brothers and Big Sisters program.
The program aims to provide children with strong adult roles models while they learn more about police work and get to know the people behind the badges.
Over the course of the week, the children learned about the explosives disposal unit with a chance to see the LPS bomb robot and try on protective clothing; the tactical team; the identification unit; traffic, where the children used lasers to catch speeders; and the K9 unit.
Const. Jamie Williamson, an LPS school resource officer, said the event has been a big success.
“It’s been awesome,” she said. “We have a really good group of kids, we’ve done all kinds of activities, we’ve had all kinds of demonstrations from the police service.”
Williamson said goals for the week included teaching the children the importance of teamwork, and for them to see police as a force for good in the community.
“We, as a police service, are people, and we’re fun, and we’re out there to protect them, and possibly generate some interest in them for a future career maybe.”
Roberto Solano, program case workers with Big Brothers and Big Sisters, said some of the children at the event have been waiting for a Big Brother or Big Sister for more than a year.
“It’s just a great chance for them to get involved in some of our program,” he said. “But it’s also a chance for them to get more familiar with the police service and what they do, and the different types of things they do for the city.”
Solano said the organization is in need of people to volunteer time as Big Brothers and Big Sisters.
“People don’t realize they can do this in many different ways,” he said. “They can do it in as little as seven weeks to a full year. You can do this in couples, or as a teenager in high school. There’s just many ways to get involved.”
Const. Braylon Hyggen and his Belgian malinois K9 companion, PSD Myke “The Cat” — so named because of his expectant disposition — demonstrated a number of skills Myke uses as a police dog and answered questions the children had regarding Myke’s job.
“It’s great for the community,” Hyggen said, noting the importance of connecting with the children.
Solano said many of the children have experienced difficulties in their lives.
“Having someone consistent in their life, who is a positive role model to them, I’m sure it means the world to them.”
Conversely, being a Big Brother or Sister can net its own rewards.
“A lot of people who volunteer think come in thinking they are going to make a huge difference in a child’s life,” he said. “You will for sure. But they don’t realize what that Little is going to have on their lives. They fall in love with these kids, and it means so much to have someone who looks up to them as well.”
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