5/18/2023 0 Comments Photo police helping for kidsI'm talking about things like Explorer programs, Police Athletic Leagues, Teen Cadet Academies, summer internship programs, Shop with a Cop, and other department-funded initiatives that deliver valuable services to children of all ages. However, there also are numerous other formalized endeavors for departments to consider in addition to SROs in schools. If your department doesn't have an SRO program - but is considering one - get in touch with the National Association of School Resource Officers (NASRO) for their advice and recommended best practices. The way the kids there said thanks was truly EPIC - watch the video above to see what they did. Just ask Officer Mitch, who works at Heritage High School in the San Francisco Bay Area. When an SRO is really active and really successful, kids will go out of their way to not only talk with him or her, but to thank them for their service. Particularly in middle and high school years, having direct daily contact with an officer in the hallways can have an incredibly positive impact on kids. Naturally, this begins with employing SROs in your schools. Where time and resources are better applied are formal programs that put cops and kids in close proximity so that real relationships are naturally developed over time. Where the real recruitment opportunities exist are in the day-to-day contact between young people and the police officers who serve their communities. This is a very passive recruitment tool - and arguably, a substantial waste of time and resources. Many police departments have a pop-up tent, a folding table, and a bunch of knick-knacks with the department badge or logo to give away during street festivals and other events. This same philosophy can also be used by the recruiting unit. It has long been my contention that the long-term solution to the current anti-police sentiment is the long-term strategy of increasing officer involvement and visibility with the nation's young people - in essence, to "Get 'em when they're young."
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