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Kamloops News

Why Kamloops RCMP officers take the time to talk to kids

Laura Ross and her son Jim pose with a police cruiser after Officer Howard took the time to show her son around the vehicle.
Image Credit: FACEBOOK/Laura Ross

KAMLOOPS — There are countless reasons police officers may make impromptu visits to chat with children and other citizens in the community.

Recently, Laura Ross and her son Jim were waiting in line at a Kamloops walk-in clinic when a police car rolled up and began talking to her little boy.

“The police officer in the car had seen Jim from inside his vehicle and started to talk to him saying, ‘Hi how are you?’” Ross said in a Facebook post. “The cop jumped out of his car letting Jim take the front seat.”

Ross went on to explain how her son was also showed how to switch on the cruiser’s flashing lights.

“Jim was so proud he did that himself,” she says.

Ross said after they were done at the clinic, her son was so excited with his encounter with the officer he asked to go to the store to get some police gear toys.

“Jim honestly used to be afraid of the police and thought they were mean but now if you ask him I bet he will tell you he loves them,” she says.

Kamloops RCMP media spokesperson Cpl. Jodi Shelkie says talking to kids and other community members is also beneficial for police officers themselves.

“Often we deal with stressful people and situations on an hourly to daily basis,” Shelkie says. “Taking the time to talk to a child or other citizens is a great way for us to remember why we do this job, for the people in the community.”

Shelkie says officers taking the opportunity to speak with kids about what’s on a police officer’s gun belt or how the radar in a police car works is a great way for officers to de-stress after a call.

“For children who may be scared of police officers or people in uniform, this is a chance to get down to their level and show them that we are people just like them,” she says.

Ross's rave about the RCMP officer also made it to the police force's website.


To contact a reporter for this story, email Karen Edwards or call (250) 819-3723 or email the editor. You can also submit photos, videos or news tips to the newsroom and be entered to win a monthly prize draw.

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