Program aims to help kids feel more comfortable with police officers
March 21, 2018
Caden Anderson makes crafts with police studies degree student Michael Marrocco at Harriett Todd Public School. Nathan Taylor/OrilliaMatters
When Michael Marrocco becomes a police officer, he doesn’t want kids to be afraid of him.
In partnership with Orillia OPP and with support from the Georgian College Students’ Association, Marrocco and some of his fellow students in Georgian’s Honours Bachelor of Police Studies degree program are running a program at Harriett Todd Public School that facilitates positive interactions between police officers and kids.
The team has visited the school every Wednesday since November during the lunch break. Dozens of Grades 6 to 8 students come out each week to play a different sport or make crafts. They also get the chance to speak with future and current police officers.
The response so far has been positive.
“It’s satisfying when a kid comes up to you and says, ‘I’m not afraid of cops anymore,’” Marrocco notes.