Read With A Cop Programs Launch at Hasty, Canton Elementary Schools

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CANTON, GA -- Canton Elementary School STEM Academy and Hasty Elementary School Fine Arts Academy will welcome guest readers from the Canton Police Department each month through a new Read with a Cop program.

Canton officers will visit classrooms to read pre-selected books to students, play games and participate in classroom activities, and the children also will be able to ask the officers questions.

“It is important for our students to see local law enforcement officers as community helpers and role models,” Canton ES STEM Academy Principal Beth P. Long said. “We believe that having local police officers engage in these activities with our students will promote a positive view of the work they do to keep us safe and further instill in children a love for reading.”

The monthly initiative kicks off Friday, March 25 and will continue on the last Friday in April and May. There are also plans to continue the partnership into the next school year.

“We are extremely excited to enter into this outreach partnership with Canton and Hasty elementary,” Police Chief Mark Mitchell said. “I think it is vitally important for our officers to connect, engage and build trusting relationships with the diverse group of children in our community. We believe this interaction will also help build trust with the parents of these students. Our organization feels this is a critical part of our community policing philosophy and will allow this agency and our citizens to foster long-lasting, sustainable relationships which is imperative, especially during this time in our nation’s history.”

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Image via Canton Police Department