COPS, Deputies Looking To Issues Ice Cream Tickets to Kids

(KNSI) – Kids caught wearing their helmets by a handful of area law enforcement officers will get rewarded with a sweet treat.

The Sartell and Sauk Rapids Police Departments, along with the Stearns, Benton, and Sherburne County Sheriff’s Offices, are issuing citations for a free small ice cream cone when they find a kid wearing a helmet while biking, skateboarding, roller skating, or riding a scooter.

Stearns County Assistant Chief Deputy Dan Miller says officers are keeping their eyes open.

“Our deputies are getting out there and they’re finding these kids and rewarding them for taking that extra step and putting that helmet on and hopefully protecting them if something terrible would happen.”

He says the program allows police and deputies to talk with the community.

“It’s a great way to reward kids for doing the right thing. And it’s an excellent way for our deputies to interact with the kids and have those positive contacts with kids, and it gives them a different look, and they don’t look at us negatively and can be just a good community engagement thing.”

Officer will be issuing tickers all summer.

The program is sponsored by Dairy Queen, AAA, and the Minnesota Department of Transportations Towards Zero Deaths initiative.

___