‘Positive relationships’: Pembroke Pines police launch kid-friendly unit for summer
If a police officer rolls up on your teenager this summer in Pembroke Pines, it’s unlikely you’ll see a Miami Vice cliché play out.
The Pembroke Pines Police Department is days out from launching its Youth Connection team, the agency’s newest unit to keep school resource officers busy and children safe during their summer break.
“Just because school is out doesn’t mean we stop caring about our Pembroke Pines kids,” officer David Nolasco said in a July 13 PPPD Instagram announcing the new team.
Where can you find SRO’s during summer break?
Expect officers to visit popular hangout spots including parks, shopping plazas and stores, summer schools and sports camps, PPPD spokesperson Amanda Conwell told the Pembroke Pines News.
She also says police rarely come empty-handed when dropping in and often carry water bottles, snacks and toys to surprise kids they run into during their shift.
“The goal of this initiative is to foster positive relationships between our officers and local kids, deter juvenile delinquency, and provide a visible and approachable mentorship presence at youth gathering points during the summer months,” said Conwell, who adds that the unit was coined by Chief of Police Jose Vargas and members of PPPD’s Community Relations Division.
To maximize summer fun and safety, the Youth Connection Team offers these tips for kids and teens:
- Make sure you’re staying hydrated
- Use sunscreen when outside and keep to the shade
- Keep safe on the road, and use bike lanes and designated crosswalks
- Protect yourself by wearing a helmet when riding a bicycle, scooter or skateboard
- If playing outside, stay with your friends and don’t talk to strangers
- Don’t play near bodies of water unless a responsible adult is nearby
