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Who Says a Kid Can't Make a
Difference?
As the Detachment leader at Strathmore Alberta, I introduced a youth initiative
called the "Onside Program" to our area.
Police mentoring kids...good kids, troubled kids, under privileged kids.
The idea was to involve cops and kids in something unique and potentially
transformational. Take them to a special event, keep it low pressure, just be
there as a friend and enjoy the moment. We wanted to let the kids see the human
side of the Police Officer, a step beyond the facade of the enforcer. We focused
on meeting the kids on their turf and their terms. We would be there just to
listen, and if the moment arose, maybe talk about some of the personal issues
they faced. We might discuss subjects like peer pressure, legal and societal
expectations, etc. The special event wasn't the focus so much as it was a
vehicle that we could use, the police and the youth, to connect on a human
level.
We started with hockey and football games. The Calgary Flames and Calgary
Stampeders each donated eight season tickets in support of our cause. Police
Officers also rose to the challenge by quickly beginning to identify a list of
boys and girls that could benefit from the mentoring. This included youth that
deserved positive recognition, youth on the edge of the law and youth that just
never seemed get picked for anything else.
To jump-start the program, on-duty Police Officers were also allowed to
participate. This sometimes had me working operational shifts to ensure minimum
resource standards were met. The officers were authorized to transport the youth
in police cars when necessary. They were also provided with funds to pay for
popcorn, pop and even souvenirs for the kids. We really wanted to create an
environment that was special for everyone involved.
Sounded like a great idea. Well, it didn't take long before I started to have
second thoughts about this community policing initiative. The word got
out...on-duty police officers, popcorn, treats, hockey games and using police
transport. I started to face both internal and external pressures about optics,
legitimacy and accountability of this unusual policing approach.
I was getting close to giving up and calling it quits when something very
magical happened. It was my turn to take a group of kids to a hockey game. "I'll
consider cancelling the Onside program after I go to the game," I said. So off I
went to Calgary, seven kids and one cop. During the evening, I learned one of
the boys with me had just lost his dad to a fatal illness. He was hurting really
bad and needed to talk. Boy, did we talk ...and cry and laugh and everything in
between. And it was at that moment that, I knew we were doing the right thing.
From that day forward, nothing could stop the Onside program from continuing.
I still think of that young man often. I think of his emptiness, his pain, his
hopes and his dreams. Funny thing is, he has no idea the difference he made in
the lives of hundreds of kids and cops. It was because of him the Onside program
remained alive. We both benefited from that special evening. I believe that he
learned that people in his community really care. I learned about courage. Doing
the right thing requires the courage to stand strong at both the individual and
leadership level.
Well, not too long after that event, my career offered me another transfer and I
was on the move again. But the Onside program continued and soon after became a
major hit all over the Calgary region. Strathmore Detachment had the foresight
to practice the abundance mentality by sharing the sporting tickets with Police
Departments and kids from all over southern Alberta. As a result, a wide variety
of both police officers and youth had the opportunity to get together in a
positive setting. Maybe some even shared a special moment that will last a
lifetime.
Who says a kid can't make a difference?
Superintendent Ward Clapham
Detachment Leader (Officer in Charge)
Royal Canadian Mounted Police
Richmond, British Columbia
Cool Cop In Hot Water
True Story - How Times Have Changed
(Adobe
Acrobat 4.0 PDF Format)
Investing In Our Youth - Smart
Policing
Individual Leadership
(Adobe
Acrobat 4.0 PDF Format)
40 Developmental
Assets
Individual Leadership
Building Blocks
(Adobe
Acrobat 4.0 PDF Format)
Asset Building Presentation
(Adobe
Acrobat 4.0 PDF Format)
City of Nanaimo
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