"Catch Up With Kids" Program Building Positive Relationships Between Kids and Law Enforcement
Arizona state troopers are working to build positive relationships between kids and law enforcement officers through the new “Catch Up With Kids” program.
The idea came from our very own Sergeant Travis Smith, who realized a football and a game of catch could teach kids to associate law enforcement officers with something other than the stressful situations in which they often see police, such as collisions, traffic stops or emergencies. When a trooper sees a child that might need a distraction or a little something to lift their spirits, the trooper can offer them a football and a game of catch.
Sergeant Smith presented the idea to Arizona Law Enforcement Outreach and Support (AZLEOS), a non-profit organization working to bring law enforcement officers and the communities they serve together. AZLEOS loved the idea and began working with Sergeant Smith to collect footballs and help spread the word, with the hope of eventually expanding the program statewide. To date, Sergeant Smith’s squad has handed out over 50 footballs.
To learn more about Catch Up With Kids and AZLEOS, visit www.facebook.com/ArizonaLEOS
