Ohio police 'ticket' kids as incentive to practice bike safety this summer

ALL content used in this not-for-profit blog remain the property of their respective owners.
http://www.policeone.com/news/6260930-Ohio-police-ticket-kids-as-incentive-to-practice-bike-safety/?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

A local police chief who has been known for his tongue-in-cheek open letters to criminals is now opening up about another policy of sorts.

As written on the department’s Facebook page, Chief David Oliver's officers from Brimfield Police Department are encouraged to write as many tickets as they can and should also target a specific group.

In what is called Operation Safe Summer, officers will be on the lookout for children under the age of 12 who are wearing a helmet while biking.

If “caught”, those kids will be stopped and issued a “ticket” for a free ice cream cone from Frank’s Drive-in as a reward.

The program begins June 3 and will continue for several weeks.

“We traffic stop them and give them a ticket,” said patrol officer Russ Diehl. “I absolutely love it.”

“My son was all over it last week. As soon as he heard about it, he came home from school, riding around with his helmet on, just waiting for somebody to pull him over,” said one lady.

Operation Safe Summer has been a Brimfield tradition for many years. Frank’s Drive-In owner Joe Follen said he’s anxious to rewards kids.

“I guess it just gives the children a good incentive, maybe, to do something good,” he said, “not only to wear their bicycle helmet, but also to do good acts of kindness.”