Kids ’N Kops program ready to build positive interactions with police

A program designed to provide a positive interaction between children and police officers kicks off Monday for four days.

Kids ’N Kops matches children on the waiting list of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Lethbridge with officers from the Lethbridge Police Service in four days of presentations at the police shooting range and other activities.

It runs Monday to Thursday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Caseworker Sara Roncin said Friday due to COVID restrictions this year’s event is being limited to six boys and two officers.

The program is now in its 20th year, said Roncin.

“We make sure that the kids who are on the wait list get an opportunity to spend time with the cops who are on the Lethbridge Police Service. We’re trying to form intentional connections with first responders, especially the kids that are on the wait list because a lot of the time, the kids in our programs have negative interventions with the police officers.

“So we want to show them a different side and that these people are here to support them as well,” said Roncin, adding the officers are also school resource officers which will give kids a familiar face after they meet.

“We’ll be going to the police shooting range. They put on presentations throughout the morning and they get a graduation ceremony at the end of the week. And we kind of do fun activities with them all together.. .they get to kind of experience just spending time outside in the community, too,” Roncin said.