Brooklyn Park Police Reel in Positive Connections with Youth at Fishing Pond
At the Brooklyn Park Sunfish Pond near the Community Activity Center, the Brooklyn Park Police Department spent Wednesday introducing urban kids to their local fishing hole.
“I never knew that there was a pond here,” said Avery Tran, a young boy attending Brooklyn Park’s Cops N Kids Fishing event. “I’ve been here multiple times. I’ve just never seen this pond before. And it’s going to be a fun experience fishing in this pond.”
The annual event drew in a crowd of local kids, as well as law enforcement officers from around the region. In fact, there’s likely more badges here than rods or reels
“This is an opportunity to connect with our community, the youth of our community, for some of us to share our passion of fishing,” said Brooklyn Park Police Inspector Matt Rabe. “Nothing works better than sitting down, tossing in a line, hanging out with people, and just connecting on a conversational level about a joint, shared passion.”
Tran came looking to catch some fish, but also to meet officers.
“I wanted to have a fun experience with the cops,” he said. “They protect our community and I wanted to have an engaging experience with them.”
At the Brooklyn Park Sunfish Pond near the Community Activity Center, the Brooklyn Park Police Department spent Wednesday introducing urban kids to their local fishing hole.
Brooklyn Park Police Chief Mark Bruley, a competitive angler, said the sport can help keep kids out of trouble.
Likewise, it puts them at-ease while meeting a uniformed, armed officer.
“Almost to the minute they all cast and start catching fish, everybody starts laughing,” Bruley said. “You can hear the laughter across the pond. You can hear the kids screaming, laughing, yelling, talking about fish. And that’s all it takes, is that interaction, right? And then that uniform is gone, that uncomfortable feeling is gone.”
Rabe acknowledged that those laughs can be hard to come by when police are busy patrolling.
“The truth is we see a lot of people in their worst moments,” he said. “And that’s difficult for them, and it’s difficult for us personally. Having an opportunity to be at our best and connect with people when they’re at their best, it changes that dynamic, it changes that relationship. It builds legitimacy in policing.”
And building legitimacy with is the overall goal.
“I want them to enjoy themselves, I want them to connect with the police officers that are out here, and I want them to see that we’re good people,” Rabe said.
