“Operation Caught by a Cop”

The Canton Police Department will begin a new Community Outreach initiative by issuing tickets to local kids. Not the type of ticket where you must pay a fine, but one where you receive an award through positive contact with Officers. Officers will be out looking for youth making good decisions and rewarding them by giving a certificate (ticket) and coupon for a treat donated from a local restaurant. Children may be given tickets for such things as wearing a seat belt, bike helmet, looking both ways before crossing the street or just good manners.

Each Officer will be searching the City to issue a child at least one “ticket” per shift. Chief Mark J. Mitchell jokingly stated, “Our officers don’t have a quota on how many tickets they issue per month, but they will be enforcing good behavior.” He added, “It all starts with the Children in our Community. We want kids to trust us, not be scared and run to our Officers in times of need or engagement.”

Operation Caught by a Cop will last throughout the summer and into the school year.

Photo by Canton Police Volunteer, Stan Oliver

10 yr. old Gage McPherson was “Caught by a Cop” in Etowah River Park on Thursday, July 20, 2017, for wearing a bicycle helmet. Officer Adam Yurkovsky issued him a ticket and he was given a coupon for a Chick-fil-A sandwich after he signed the citation and agreed to continue to wear his helmet.