03/09/2009 Council Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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Youth Resource Officers— In our on -going commitment to crime prevention and increasing communications, the Lino Lakes Police Department has officers dedicated to our middle school and our elementary schools. Not only do the officers provide a safe learning environment for the students, they also help educate students and staff. Youth Resource Officers serve as positive role models as they teach classes on everything from internet safety to crime prevention. This rotating assignment gives officers a chance to approach prevention in different ways and improves officer's communication and relationship building skills. The Youth Resource Officer is one of the most visible positions in the department. Officer Wayne Wegener Centennial Middle School Youth Resource Officer Cops, Kids, and Books Officer Brandon Young Lino Lakes Elementary, Blue Heron Elementary, and Rice Lake Elementary Schools Youth Resource Officer Officer Young started the Cops, Kids, and Books program at the three elementary schools in Lino Lakes this year. This program gives police officers an opportunity to read to children in classrooms during the school day. The books are usually chosen by the class and usually include topics of safety and making good choices. The program encourages the importance of reading and at the same time develops relationships between officers, students, and staff The program has been utilized by several of the teachers as a method to bring attention to current class discussions. Topics commonly brought up during the school year included making good choices, kindness, cooperation, bullying and being good citizens. Current readings have included the Gooney Bird Greene series, Junie B Jones, Flat Stanley, and Corduroy the Bear. This has been a fun and worthwhile endeavor inspiring kids to read. 26