Jeremy Ratliff
Editor
Wednesday, June 26, will kick off the sixth year of the Merrill Police Department participating in the summer Cops and Kids program.
Based in Sussex, Wis. and founded by retired police officer Bob Kraemer, the Cops and Kids Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that promotes collaborative partnerships between law enforcement agencies and their communities. Annual programs offered via the foundation include the Mentor Program, Cops ‘N Bobbers, Danger Stranger, Gutter Busters, and Badges and Bulls Eyes.
MPD has been participating in three of the five programs offered; Cops ‘N Bobbers, Gutter Busters and Badges and Bulls Eyes, since 2014.
Retired Merill Police Chief Ken Neff first learned of the foundation through a partnership with the Merrill Parks and Recreation Department’s Summer Playground Program.
“Dawn (Smith) and I had at one point discussed working on something to bring officers and children in the community together, for various activities,” Neff said. “One day she called me with information she had found on the Cops and Kids Foundation. It was exactly what we were looking for.”
MPD’s first venture with the program soon followed in August of 2014, with a Badges and Bulls Eyes archery event.
“The officers love it because they get to teach some great recreational skills to kids in things like fishing (Cops ‘N Bobbers), archery and bowling (Gutter Busters),” Neff explains.
“These events provide the kids with fun activities in a comfortable atmosphere, and as I experienced, some of these activities expose these kids to something they had never done.”
Following Neff’s retirement in the Spring of 2017, Police Chief Corey Bennett was equally vested in the two-fold value of the programming offered by the foundation.
“There are many reasons we continue to run these programs, but the main reason is the value these programs bring for both our officers, and youth in our community,” Bennett said.
“There is value in providing, and maybe inspiring, healthy activity for our young people. There is value in building partnerships between law enforcement and youth. There is value in the partnership between the police department and the Parks and Rec department’s summer programming and there is value in providing an unconventional, and more positive opportunity to our officers as well.
“I have been participating in our Cops and Kids programs from the beginning,” Bennett adds.
“In fact I was very interested in adding the Cops N’ Bobbers fishing event at the time we began these programs. I suppose that was a little self-inspired, as the “fishing bug” was planted in me at a young age. If that had not happened, I often wonder what kind of trouble I may have found if I wasn’t preoccupied with the outdoors. So, why not try to light that fire for other youth in our community.”
In looking back on the last five years and the numerous events the department and its officers have facilitated with local youth, the value Bennett alluded to is readily apparent.
“The officers that have participated have found it rewarding,” he said. “It certainly provides them with a more one-on-one interaction with youth in a fun, unofficial setting. The best feedback I have received is from parents whose children have attended these events. Sometimes they approach us, send us letters or otherwise message us to let us know their children wouldn’t stop talking about how much fun they had going fishing, or their children being inspired and getting into archery or bowling. At that point you know this is working.”
“I could not be any more pleased that the Police Department continues to participate in Cops and Kids,” Neff adds. “This shows their commitment to our greatest resource, the kids in our community.”
According to Chief Bennett, while Cops and Kids Foundation grants fund a portion of the costs of the program, donations also play a key factor in funding and the continuation of the department’s involvement. Those interested in supporting Cops and Kids are asked to contact Bennett at the Merrill Police Department, (715) 536-8311, during regular business hours of 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Monday-Friday.