Teh One Who Knocks
02-23-2017, 11:55 AM
By Kyle Foley - Heat Street
http://i.imgur.com/5tLvCOoh.jpg
Police in Massachusetts attempted to reach out to students in an interesting way but were forced to stop because kids might be offended.
Northampton police had started a “High Five Friday” in order to improve the relationship between students and the police. The idea was that by having police showing up to schools to high five students, it would make the kids feel more comfortable around the police. Apparently, it didn’t work out as planned.
Parents in the community felt like some students might be offended. They were “specifically concerned about kids of color, undocumented children, or any children who may have had negative experiences with the police.”
The Northampton Police Department got the idea from a department in San Diego. “The concept involves police officers welcoming kids to school and giving them high fives on Friday mornings before school begins,” the department said. “It was presented as an inexpensive (aka free) way for police officers to positively engage with youth in their communities and to show support for local schools. We loved the idea!”
The department had reached out to the school superintendent for permission and said they received support for the idea. They also said that they “received a lot of support” but “also heard a few concerns about the program.”
The program is canceled for now while the department looks for other ways to reach out to students in the community. The department wants people to know, however, that officers will still accept fist bumps and high fives from people who see them out on the street.
http://i.imgur.com/5tLvCOoh.jpg
Police in Massachusetts attempted to reach out to students in an interesting way but were forced to stop because kids might be offended.
Northampton police had started a “High Five Friday” in order to improve the relationship between students and the police. The idea was that by having police showing up to schools to high five students, it would make the kids feel more comfortable around the police. Apparently, it didn’t work out as planned.
Parents in the community felt like some students might be offended. They were “specifically concerned about kids of color, undocumented children, or any children who may have had negative experiences with the police.”
The Northampton Police Department got the idea from a department in San Diego. “The concept involves police officers welcoming kids to school and giving them high fives on Friday mornings before school begins,” the department said. “It was presented as an inexpensive (aka free) way for police officers to positively engage with youth in their communities and to show support for local schools. We loved the idea!”
The department had reached out to the school superintendent for permission and said they received support for the idea. They also said that they “received a lot of support” but “also heard a few concerns about the program.”
The program is canceled for now while the department looks for other ways to reach out to students in the community. The department wants people to know, however, that officers will still accept fist bumps and high fives from people who see them out on the street.