LAKE CITY, SC (WBTW) – The Lake City Police Department created a Go Fund Me account to keep children active in the community.
Director of Community Initiatives for the Lake City Police Department, Amy Pringle, told News13 it’s an initiative by the department to create an open line of communication between young people in the community and the police department.
“What we’re trying to do is to get a little more involved out with the children to let them know that the police are here to serve and protect,” Officer Pringle said. “And to try and go above and beyond taking those extra steps, and letting them know that we’re here to help them, not to hurt them.”
The police department had a Facebook video go viral after it showed two officers having a dance-off with students.
“We’ve been trying to get some things together to go to the Boys & Girls Club on Fridays,” Pringle said. “To go play ball with them, and to play some games.”
Pringle said officers will be around schools more to encourage students throughout the school year.
“We’re going to start doing high-five Fridays at the schools,” she said. “We have, at the Early Childhood Center, we’re going to have what’s called “Man Up Mondays” which is the police and fire departments to go and read to the children. It is so important to do this because we want the kids to get a little more at ease with the police to let them know, once again, that we’re here, we’re your friends, and we’re here to help you,” she explained. “We don’t want them to ever feel as if we’re here just when bad things happen.”
The officer said she wants everyone in the community to know the officers are a support system for them.
“We want them to understand that we’re here as that leaning post,” she said. “We’re here with an open heart to hear their concerns, and even their fears when it comes to police-government. We want them to understand that we’re here just for them.”
Pringle said she wants the children to get outside, and take action to be more physically active.
“We want them to be able to get out, and to be able to enjoy life, and see there’s more than just a video game,” said Officer Pringle. “We want them to have experiences.”
Pringle said the Go Fund Me Account was made to fund field trips for the young community members that will give them life-long experiences.
“We want to be able to fund our children to keep them active on days that they’re not in school,” Officer Pringle explained. “When they’re out of school during the summer months we want to have funds there that we can take them on trips to basketball, and football games. Just something to keep them active. Children these days, all they want to do is sit behind a T.V. screen, and play a game all day.”
Pringle said the goal of the account is currently set at $20,000.
“It would be awesome if we could get more than that,” she said. “We want to really be able to pour back into our children in the community.”
You can donate to the Lake City Police Department’s Go Fund Me Account here.
