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Getting kids to trust police drives Patrol Stories' presentation to elementary students


Patrol Stories. (SBG photo)
Patrol Stories. (SBG photo)
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SAN ANTONIO - In the wake of the mass tragedy at Uvalde and other non-violent incidents like the false alarm at Jefferson High School this week, relationship building between law enforcement and the community has emerged as a priority.

Two programs involving police and elementary students unfolded today in the on-going effort to get students to trust police.

Former Dallas policeman Justin Delacruz's lively 'Patrol Stories' program kept 1,200 Kallison Elementary kindergarten through fifth graders highly engaged today.

"We just feel its important to keep kids safe. That's the ultimate goal of everything," says Delacruz, founder of Patrol Stories, "and create a better relationship with law enforcement and police officers. That has been damaged a little bit in the past.

"And we’re just trying to bridge that gap. Humanize the police officers while also providing them the ultimate police officer experience."

Using a Star Wars theme to great effect, Delacruz promotes strong working relationships between kids and cops.

"Officers aren’t always the easiest to approach or try to create that ultimate relationship spontaneously," he says. "You saw how hyped they were today. This is the kind of reception that we usually get. Kids are starving for this awesome experience."

Kallison principal Billy Navin was delighted with the way the students responded.

"These types of presentations build a trust and they build a relationship with students and law enforcement," he says. "It's really cool to see the impact that this presentation has had on our students."

Even the youngest kids got a charge out of the program that touched on everything from policing and gun safety to mental health and avoiding drugs.

"Starting at a young age, they see the officers as people that they can trust," Navin says.

Delacruz and his staff also made a point of emphasizing the role Northside ISD police play in helping keep kids safe.

The kids they hear, they see all the scary images on the TV right now," Navin says. "This is extremely development-appropriate in a fun, uplifting manner."

Patrol Stories is a non-profit with the 30-minute programs free to schools. The officers have two more San Antonio stops on Friday, at Stahl and Fox Run elementaries.

Coincidentally, San Antonio police chief William McManus took part in a similar program as part of North East ISD's 'Meals for Shields' lunch program at Dellview Elementary. Several officers ate with the students.

After fist-bumping several eager students, McManus gushed about the reaction he received.

"For these youngsters to be exposed to the police at this young age in this setting, it just doesn't get any better," he says. "It's nice to be able to influence them in this way, in a positive way. These kinds of events are the better part of my day.."

Fun was the theme of the day for McManus. After getting invited to a couple of birthday parties, a youngster asked him his age.

"I said how old do you think I am," he said to a young student. "She said '93.' "

Amid the laughter, another bridge had been built.

Follow Jim Lefko on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.


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