Lethbridge police and Big Brothers Big Sisters have once again partnered for their Kids ‘N’ Kops program. Over the course of three days, a group of nine kids aged eight to 12 has been able to see the inner workings of the Lethbridge Police Service. According to Big Brothers Big Sisters, for most of these kids, it’s the highlight of their summer. “The camp has been running for decades, which is absolutely amazing. We always appreciate the support from the LPS. And we do get all of our snacks and lunches donated, and we plan all of our community activities,” said Big Brothers Big Sisters caseworker Emma Georgeson. The kids were able to take an in-depth tour of the police station and see how various units work. They saw firsthand how the K-9 unit, bomb squad, tactical team and more operate. While the kids have had fun, it’s also a great experience for officers. “It’s just nice to be able to show them that we are more than just the police car that drives around. There are more facets to policing than what they may know of before today,” said Sgt. Steve Veale. This is the 26th year Kids ‘N’ Kops has been run. In that span, LPS has been able to interact with hundreds of pre-teens. Police hope they can showcase a more positive side of policing. “The whole goal of this week is just to provide the youth with some positive policing experience. The things that maybe the normal public wouldn’t necessarily see. We give them a really in-depth tour of the station, and we introduce them to different units within our police service,” said Veale. It isn’t just the positive interactions the kids take away from the program. Organizers also hope to instill teamwork skills and confidence. “Some of the kids in our programs really benefit from having positive female and male role models. And it’s a great chance to learn about what the police service does. Maybe some of our kiddos want to become police officers when they grow up,” said Georgeson.
