Police build community bonds with summer camp
CORAL SPRINGS, FL - These may not have been the duties police officers expected when they agreed to protect and serve. Nevertheless, a handful of members of the Coral Springs Police Department are on summer camp counselor duty as part of a new community initiative.
The Summer BreakSpot program, which provides summer activities for children from low-income families, is also creating an opportunity for the police department to strengthen community ties in a new way.
"It's an amazing opportunity for us to mentor and then let them see us as the normal people we are; the parents, the coaches in your community, and build those relationships, and help strengthen our ties with the community," said Shawn Backer, Deputy Chief of Police for the Coral Springs Police Department.
The camp is unique in that the police department runs the camp, rather than participating in a camp organized by another group.
The idea came together last year, when two organizations that focus on eliminating hunger in Florida asked the police department for help in supporting children who may not have enough to eat when school is out for the summer. The police department's solution was to create a summer camp that not only provides free meals, but also time for sports, education, and mentoring.
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