Norwich, Connecticut (AP) – Puns are plentiful as police departments across the country buy their own ice cream trucks and roll around in their neighborhoods and hand out free frozen treats.
“Copsicle Patrol” is written on the Patrol in Danbury, Connecticut. “Freeze! You have the right to freeze,” says another in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. “Let’s cool together,” declares Cleveland. “Frosty Five-o. Get The Inside Scoop” declares one in Palm Bay, Florida. “To protect and soft serve,” says yet another in Terrado, Ohio.
Aside from whimsical slogans, more and more local law enforcement costumes are using trucks to fulfill their serious mission.
“There’s no better way to approach the community and let them know we’re friendly. We’re more human than giving away free ice cream to our kids.” “The smiles on our kids’ faces make us realize this is a great community outreach service.”
Norwich Police’s All-Electric Chevrolet Bright Drop Van debuted in early August, with around 90% of the $43,000 cost of donations from local businesses and contributors earning the remaining costs from the city. Some departments use legal marijuana sales and tax revenue from property attacks to fund their ice cream operations.
“Watching kids get happy”
Recently, Norwich’s van stopped at a local school where children attend sports camps. It was a hit when the officers handed out ice cream sandwiches, bubblegum-flavored pops and Italian ice.
“Instead of seeing people in prison, they see their kids happy,” said Rozzy Conster, 11, who chose bubble gum pop.
The truck later tumbled into the apartment complex. On a police cruiser accompanying the truck, Besse used her cell phone to perform the ice cream truck song through exterior speakers. The department is currently raising funds to equip the truck with its own sound system and police lighting.
Angela Pierce listened to the music and rushed along with her grandson.
“It’s a great idea. Not everyone can afford it,” she said. “The police have got a lot of bad publicity.
Marijuana tax and property seizures fund several programs
Like Norwich, many departments’ ice cream truck programs are funded by donations, and the treats they hand out for free are often offered free of charge by local businesses such as grocery stores and ice cream shops. Norwich Police has listed 20 sponsors in the truck.
In Danbury, Connecticut, police used tax revenue from the city’s legal marijuana clinic to pay the truck.
In Chicopee, Massachusetts, police paid them with assets seized during criminal arrests. That practice is called Citizens’ confiscationState and local laws have been criticized by criminal justice advocacy groups because law enforcement can acquire property from persons suspected of criminal activity and maintain it without the criminal charge being filed.
Additionally, some departments use federal law enforcement grants to help fund projects.
Paul Poillier, the police chief in Bernstead, New Hampshire, spent his money on purchasing old ice cream trucks that he had renovated with a friend several years ago and donated to the department.
Today, he runs a business called Copsicle Ice Cream Truck in his spare time, restoring and repairing ice cream cars to sell to police stations starting at around $37,000.
“I know, I thought this would be a great opportunity for kids and families to get free ice cream and make those connections and look at police more positively,” he said as California, who is interested in trucks, calling far away.
Boston Police will hand out ice cream for 15 years
Boston Police is widely recognized as having the first official police ice cream truck in the United States
In 2010, the city launched the “Operation Hood Sea Cup” in collaboration with the iconic HP Hood Ice Cream Company of Half Vanilla and Half Chocolate Ice Cream Cups.
Over the past 15 years, Hood has donated all of his ice cream to his Boston trucks. Boston trucks are sent to more than 400 events in the city each year, police said. The current truck was donated in 2016 by the non-profit Boston Police Foundation.
“Each interaction is an opportunity for our executives to build trust with the community and create some smiles along the way,” Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox said in a statement.
Ice Cream Truck is another program on a long line of community policing initiatives that many departments have implemented over the years, such as “Coffee with Policemen” and the Youth Sports Program.
Kennes Quik, an adjunct professor at John Jay University of Criminal Justice in New York and a former New York City Police inspector, isn’t clear whether the truck is improving public police opinion over the long term, Kennes Quik said.
“I like that it’s like bringing police into the community and showing them from a different perspective, showing them that they’re human,” Quick said.
But he said, “This is either an actual meaningful interaction that actually shapes someone’s long-term perception of police, or “I got a free ice cream sandwich from a cop on an ice cream truck, and yet, when I actually have a meaningful interaction, is my perception the same?”
