The 3rd Annual Cops and Kids Event, sponsored by the Plainview Police Department, will be held on Saturday, April 8th from 12:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. at Running Water Draw (Kidsville) Park.
There will be basketball goals and volleyball nets set up for games as well as an obstacle course, rope climbing, tug-of-warm, kickball and baseball. Hot dogs, chips and other goodies will be available as well as a drawing for 20 bicycles of different ages given away. Children of all communities are invited to attend.
“We had a very successful event last year and we are looking forward to this year,” said Julio De La Garza, Patrolman/School Resource Officer and event chair. “It is a great time for the community and the police force to not only get to know one another but just to have some fun.”
They will also have the SWAT vehicle with equipment displayed, Mobile Command Unit and Aero Care is scheduled to make an appearance. The Sherriff’s department and others will also be participating in the events.
This year’s event will open a little different than in the past – the Opening Ceremonies will include a prayer, singing of the national anthem, words from Mayor Wendell Dunlap and a butterfly release and speech commemorating youth mental health.
Event sponsors include Wal-Mart, Amigo’s, Big E’s Towing, Area Community Hospice, Reagor Dykes, Crimestoppers, Apex Collision, Bill Wells Chevrolet, Elks Lodge, Brandon Brownlee Racing, Kiwani’s Club, Kornerstone Funeral Directors, Vista Bank, McCoy’s, Graphic Zone, West Texas Cooling Towers, J Pat Manning, Central Plains Center, MHMR and Crisis Center of the Plains.
“We are continuing to receive donations daily and are grateful to our sponsors for making this event happen,” said DeLaGarza. “Because of their generous support, we are able to create relationships not only with the kids but with the whole community by encouraging cooperation between the cops and our citizens.”
This event received the 2016 Municipal Excellence Award in the Public Safety category for cities under 25,000 in population at the 2016 Texas Municipal League Convention in Austin.
For more information about the Cops and Kids event, contact Julio De LeGarza at 806.729.6939 or jdelagarza@plainviewtx.org.
(News release from the City of Plainview)
