Children enrolled in many Scottsdale after school programs will soon find some new friends in blue.
A new program to engage youth in the community is the brainchild of Parks and Recreation Operations Supervisor Erin McKallor-Quill and Scottsdale Police Crime Prevention Officer Travis Kerby.
The program, called Partnering Law Enforcement and Youth (PLAY), encourages uniformed officers to stop by the various after school programs around Scottsdale – at schools, city community centers, the Boys and Girls Clubs and more.
Officers aren’t on-site to present information or as part of a specific activity – they are just there to enjoy a personal interaction with the kids. The program has become a priority for police who say, “the program brings us closer to the people we serve.”