4 minute read
Police do good (Minot
Police do good
By ANDREA JOHNSON Staff Writer ajohnson@minotdailynews.com
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For going on 19 years, needy kids throughout the Minot area have been able to enjoy shopping with a cop at Christmas. Minot Police Dept. Patrol Sgt. Paul Burns, who spearheads the event, said cops don’t care if the child spends $150 on bubble gum. Aside from a few sensible restrictions like no violent video games or other toys that advocate violence, that is their money to spend on what will bring them joy. Kids who might benefit the most from the program are previously identified and parents are asked to sign permission slips. Then, on the big day, they are paired with individual volunteer officers from the Minot Police Department, Ward County Sheriff’s Office, North Dakota Highway Patrol, U.S. Border Patrol, and Minot Air Force Base Security Forces and get to go on a shopping spree at Walmart
Helping out the kids also brings the cops a lot of joy.
Burns and the other officers who are involved do all the fundraising and organizing on their days off. Burns said he approaches up to 95 businesses to ask for donations and approaches a few new businesses each year if a few previous donors have closed or dropped out.
Businesses and individual donors also donate to other police organized fundraisers like the annual Stuff-a-Squad Toy Drive.
Aside from being fun for all involved, the community outreach is a good way for police officers to build strong relationships with the people they serve, said Sgt. Cole Strandemo, who works in crime prevention and community outreach.
Anytime people, especially children, can have a positive interaction with a police officer and see them as regular people, they might be more apt to
Burns, who spearheads the event, said cops don’t call on them if they ever need help. Some of the kids have previously seen police under more traumatic circumstances.
Patrol officers also enjoy handing out coupons for a free ice cream cone to a child they see wearing a bicycle helmet. This catches the kid staying safe.
Andrea Johnson/w
Minot Police Department’s Cole Strandema.
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Strandemo said the department tries to have a table set up at different events, such as the recent Juneteenth celebration, Pride in the Streets, and North Dakota State Fair.
The National Night Out event held this summer gave police from different agencies as well as first responders a chance to show off equipment like a police squad car or police robot and a working police dog demonstration. Strandemo said this is an “awesome” event and it felt good to hold the event again this year. Police are also active in other events throughout the year, including the Coffee with a Cop event, which has been held at different coffee shops in the area
Officers read to kids at the Minot Public Library and would like to get involved in more activities at the Roosevelt Park Zoo, said Strandemo. He said teachers have called on police to give talks about bicycle safety and businesses like banks have asked police to give presentations on burglaries.
Minot police and the Minot Fire Department have a friendly rivalry with the annual charity blood drive, Battle of the Badges. The Minot police had won the blood drive the previous four years but this year the fire department won.
“We’re going to have to regroup and come back stronger than ever next year,” said Strandemo.
The Minot Police Department and the Fire Department also work with the Sabre Dogs on a softball game that raises money for local charities. Police officers have different reasons for joining the force, but Strandemo said he thinks the biggest reason for most is to serve the community.
In order to be a good police officer, it has to be boil down to a desire to do good, he said.
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