Local law enforcement officers make monthly rounds to Opelika primary schools, but it's not because of a surge in crime rates for 6- to 8-year-olds.
The Adopt-A-Cop program through the Opelika Police Department matches police officers with first and second grade classes throughout the city.
"We just try to build a relationship with the kids in the community and the police department--tell them what we do, show them our police cars and show them our equipment," said Sgt. Ben Bugg.
Bugg revamped the program during the fall of 2010.
Adopt-A-Cop had been an initiative of the Opelika Police Department since the early '90s, but had fallen off in recent years.
"The past couple of years we had some changes in the department, and we didn't do it," Bugg said. "But this year I took it over, we expanded to about 40 classrooms--we do first and second grade."
One of the officers involved is Mitchell Allen, who volunteered when the program started again.
"It helps the community and helps the kids learn to be friends with the police, and we try to lead them in the right direction," Allen said.
Officers are assigned to classrooms at one of the Opelika primary schools: Jeter, Southview or Carver.
The officers visit about once a month to do different activities with the kids.
"I'm on the SWAT team, the Lee County SWAT team, and one thing that I have done was, we took our SWAT van out to them and let them get in there and mess around with some of the tools that we have," Allen said. "I think they really enjoyed it."
Bugg said the program has helped to build relationships with the kids as well as the teachers.
"We have a lot of times where the teachers will say, 'Look, I've had two kids I've caught stealing some candy. Will you please come over here and talk to them?'" Bugg said.
"We just want to start off with our young kids and teach them about our job and what we do so they're not afraid of us."
That goal seems to have been achieved. Mary Clark, second grade teacher at Jeter Primary School, said she was excited when she heard the program was starting back up.
"The kids look forward to him coming," Clark said.
Allen is the adopted cop for Clark's classroom.
"He's a positive influence," Clark said. "Even my behavior students, they try to behave when he's here. They want to make a good impression on him."
The officers will take pencils and stickers to the kids, and Allen has even received gifts in return.
"The little girls at 7 years old, they always have a crush on anyone new," Allen said. One girl in his classroom has the same last name. "She gives me presents every time I come."
With the program restarted under a new department, Allen said it will be permanent.
"We're going to try to continue it out, and just do it until there's no more kids to talk to," Allen said.
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