College police officers read books to kids at Hamlet Elementary School
“Officer Buckle and Gloria” is an award-winning book that has charmed little kids for years, but when a real-life police officer reads the story about Gloria the police dog to a class of young students they tend to become downright riveted.
Through an outreach program dubbed Books & Badges, officers from the Amarillo College Police Department (ACPD) have been reading that book and others to enthusiastic young audiences comprised so far of pre-k, kindergarten and first-grade students at Hamlet Elementary School.
Additionally, the officers usually show up with enough books to give one to each of the students who attend the readings, books they can take home, enjoy, and add to their personal libraries.
Books & Badges is an initiative aimed not only at fostering a love of reading among young students, but of building positive relationships between law enforcement and community youth. While there are expectations of one day expanding the program to additional schools, for now ACPD is focused on Hamlet Elementary, and the participating officers – all volunteers – also interact with the kids before and after the readings, and they sometimes stay for lunch.
“Our kids are excited when the college officers are here,” Hamlet Principal R.J. Soleyjacks said. “They really look up to them. After all, most kids at this age want to be police officers or firefighters anyway, so these interactions through reading and communicating are a very positive reinforcement.
“It’s a great opportunity to bridge the gap between peace officers and young people,” he said. “It helps students build quality relationships and gives the kids someone to admire in a public service role.”
And thanks to funding from the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services through its Community Youth Development Program – funds administered locally by United Way of Amarillo & Canyon and earmarked for residents in Amarillo’s 79107 zip code (in which Hamlet resides) – every kid the officers read to is presented with a free take-home book.
Officer Morice Jackson not only enjoys sending the kids home with new books, he personally enhances the gifts by jotting unique and encouraging messages in each one, things like “I know you’re going to do great things.”
“I love doing what I can for these kids,” Jackson said. “Words of encouragement that sort of personalize the books are just one more way we can inspire them to live their best lives. Hopefully, they take these books home and read them again and again, maybe even read them to their brothers and sisters and parents.”
ACPD Interim Chief Aaron Huddleston says his entire department has expressed interest in participating in the Books & Badges initiative.
“Our officers want to be involved in what we are doing within the community,” Huddleston said. “These are kids who are just starting their educational journey and we’re fortunate to play a small part by reading them fun stories and helping build their home libraries.”
One or two ACPD officers try to visit Hamlet Elementary around mid-morning about once a week, pretty much on either a Monday or a Friday, depending on which day works best in a given week for the Hamlet workforce.
“Being part of a College makes us more than just a law-enforcement agency,” Huddleston says. “Part of our mission at the College is to support young people on their educational journeys. To see and visit with the kids at Hamlet in a comfortable atmosphere rather than during those times when we’re responding to a crisis is truly valuable and worthwhile.
“And long term,” he said, “if we can continue building great relationships with kindergarten-age kids, we like to think they’ll grow up and attend Amarillo College and that law enforcement’s positive ties to the community will become a generational thing.
“That might sound like a tall order, but we all know it’s even taller when you sit back and do nothing.”