SAN DIEGO–The San Diego County Sheriff’s Department will be issuing a different kind of ticket to children this summer.
Don’t be alarmed if deputies stop you along a bike path or sidewalk, or call you over to the patrol car. This summer, deputies will “ticket” kids caught in the act of doing a good deed with Slurpee© beverage coupons. Each coupon can be redeemed for a small Slurpee© drink at 7-Eleven stores. It’s all part of Operation Chill©, a community program that rewards kids for good behavior.
Appropriate “offenses” include helping another person, participating in sports or community activities, wearing safety helmets when riding a skateboard or bicycle and riding in designated areas, looking both ways before stepping into the street, helping others cross the road, wearing a seat belt when riding in a car, picking up trash, demonstrating a caring attitude towards others, being a friend not a bully, and showing respect towards parents or elders.
Uniformed deputies can be intimidating to some kids, this program is an icebreaker. It’s a way for deputies and children to connect. We want kids to know deputies are here and you can always talk to them.
Since Operation Chill© started in 1995, more than 12 million coupons have been distributed to hundreds of law enforcement agencies across the country.
