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Staying safe: Kids and Cops Day carries on growing tradition
Hundreds of Franklin County schoolkids, from kindergarten through fifth graders, got a chance earlier this month to learn about law enforcement and the many allied organizations that support its efforts.
At the fifth annual Kids and Cops Day, held May 1 in the large field and pavilion behind the sherriff's office, upwards of 1,000 students from Franklin County Elementary and the Apalachicola Bay Charter schools took part in the affair, which ran up through and including a lunch of grilled hot dogs and hamburger.
"The purpose of the event was to familiarize our youth with the various different types of law enforcement, the various agencies out there and how they work together with other community resources to protect and serve our county," said Sgt. Ryan Sandoval, coordinator of the department's DARE program and community resources outreach.
Among the participating agencies and departments were the Florida Highway Patrol, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Florida Division of Forestry, Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Florida Department of Corrections, Florida Division of Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco, Apalachicola and Carrabelle police departments, American Red Cross, , Tyndall Air Force Base 325th security division, , county health department, Eastpoint and Carrabelle volunteer fire departments, Bay County Sheriffs Office, Leon County Sheriffs Office, and Weems Memorial Hospital's ambulance and affiliated LifeFlight helicopter service.
"The event is run off of the money we raise, it's not paid for with tax dollars," said Sandoval. "Most all is volunteer work and the food is usually donated."
After the schools kids toured the various exhibits, they each got a chance to win a raffle prize, which included water-related items, such as slip-and-slides, pools and water guns as well as baseball bats, gloves and other summer recreation equipment. The county health department gave out bicycle helmets as well.
The purpose of the Kids and Cops Day, which was begun in 2005 by former Sheriff Mike Mock, is "to teach kids, to give them an idea of who we are and what we do," said Sandoval. "They see so many different types of uniforms and they're curious. It's to let them know we're there.
"We thank everybody who attended and appreciate all the donations and all the volunteer work and are very thankful for people in community who participated in the event," he said.
