Takoma Park Police Partner With 7-11 For 'Operation Chill'

TAKOMA PARK, MD — School's out for summer and kids in Takoma Park may actually look forward to their next encounter with the 'heat' thanks to 7-Eleven stores' popular Operation Chill program that rewards positive behavior with a very cool treat. The Takoma Park Police Department is proud to partner with 7-Eleven in its program aimed to reduce crime and build rapport between kids and law enforcement.

Through Operation Chill, Takoma Park Police patrol officers can 'ticket' youngsters caught in the act of doing good with Slurpee beverage coupons. Appropriate 'offenses' might include helping another person, deterring crime, practicing safety (wearing a helmet during bike riding), participating in a positive activity in the community, or just for having a pleasant conversation with an officer.

"The Takoma Park Police Department will use the Operation Chill program to reward youth for their good deeds as well as to enhance their relations with the young people of their city," a statement from Takoma Park police says. "So be on your best behavior this summer. Our officers will be patrolling parks, community events, and other areas around the City, looking to hand out these free treats!"

Each coupon can be redeemed for a medium Slurpee drink at participating 7-Eleven stores. The coupons are great for officers who are on patrol in the community. It's an icebreaker, a way to encourage dialogue in a non-threatening, non-law enforcement situation, police said.

Operation Chill was developed by 7-Eleven, Inc. to positively reward and encourage good behavior by kids during the hot summer months, when communities may experience increases in loitering, shoplifting and graffiti, and to support law enforcement agencies' community relations projects, police said. Since its inception in 1995, Operation Chill has grown to include several hundred law enforcement agencies in the U.S. and Canada each year, and more than twelve million coupons have been distributed to officers on the beat in cities and towns where 7-Eleven does business.

Photo: Takoma Park Police Department