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P.A. youth rewarded for good behaviour

Mar 1, 2018 | 1:00 PM

Prince Albert Police officers plan to hand out hundreds of tickets to the city’s youth over the next few months.

The initiative is part of the police service’s positive ticketing campaign, which is now in its sixth year. Youth aged five to 17 can receive tickets for being good leaders at their school, or simply wearing a helmet at the skate park.

Community Relations Division Sgt. Travis Willie said he enjoys having fun with the kids.

“I always tell the kids when I issue the ticket ‘Go home today and tell mom and dad you got a ticket from the police and see what they say’ and of course the kids love that,” he said.

One way the police officers find their good suspects is going to schools and asking principals for recommendations. The good students then get called down to the principal’s office.

“They’re nervous getting called down to the office and then they are really nervous when they see me standing there and of course I always have fun with them and tell them I am going to give them a ticket. The one little guy just about started crying and I was like ‘No, no, no — it’s for a good reason,’” Willie said.

The program comes at no cost to the city. A number of sponsors have helped make it possible including the Prince Albert Raiders, Galaxy Cinemas, McDonalds’s, A&W, PA Fast Print, Minto Bowl and the High Noon Optimist Club. In addition to the tickets, the youth also receive prizes including restaurant vouchers or tickets to a Raiders game.

Raiders General Manager Curtis Hunt said the club jumped at the chance to get involved.

“It’s always so easy to find things that are bad and pick things apart. I think the great thing about this initiative is, and the coaches do it too in our environment, is catch kids doing things right and positive reinforcement,” he said.

At the end of the ticketing campaign, all the names are tossed into a hat for additional prizes such as a signed Raiders jersey.

 

nigel.maxwell@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @nigelmaxwell