Cops have hooks out for kids

Constable Jim Warren, North Bay Police sets a rod up during the Kids, Cops and Canadian Tire Fishing Days today.
Story and photos by Ryan B. Edmunds

Officers of the North Bay Police Service, Anishnabek Police Service, Military Police and Ministry of Natural Resources enforcement officers baited their hooks alongside local youth Saturday as part of 'Kids, Cops and Canadian Tire Fishing Days' at the Circle Lake playground.

The program is a partnership between the Police Association of Ontario, Bob Izumi’s 'Fishing Forever' program and Canadian Tire Corporation. Law enforcement officials were out in full force helping kids untangle their lines, bait their hooks, and even let them try on tactical gear.

The military police were on scene and setup all their equipment. North Bay police service's emergency response team vehicle, a North Bay Ambulance as well as the Anishnabek Police cruiser were all on location for the kids to see and check out.

"What we tried to do is pick deserving children from within the community. So, as a committee, we decided to pick Big Brothers, Big Sisters and with the Anishnabek Police service we chose children from the Indian Friendship centre as well." said Constable Aaron Northrup.

"Unfortunately a lot of kids and people in society see police officers and it’s usually at their worst. Sometimes the kids only see us when we're in their home with a bad situation." said Northrup.

"What today is about is to try to get them out for a nice day and get to see police officers in a positive manner. Not the big bad guys that sometimes are coming into your house or you see at a car accident." he explained.

"Today is a day of seeing police officers as a kind of real people and getting to meet them on a one on one basis."

"It's to provide them an opportunity to get to know the local Police constabulary and gain some outdoor experience. Its educating them in some of the basics of fishing and having fun in the outdoors as well as trying to dispel some of the bad ideas they may have about policemen in uniforms." said Constable Jim Warren, North Bay Police.

"It's just a matter of getting them exposed to the outdoors and the idea of having something to do rather than just hanging around." Warren added.