Kids and Cops Day returns to Ohio University Lancaster for its fifth year

Ohio University Lancaster’s Law Enforcement Technology Program, the Lancaster Police Department, and the Lancaster Citizen Police Academy Alumni Association will host its fifth annual Kids and Cops Day on Aug. 14 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Kids and Cops 2021 is a free event and will be held in the North Parking Lot of the Ohio University Lancaster campus.

Kids and Cops Day gives children and community members the chance to connect and interact with local law enforcement agencies, fire departments, and other first responders, as well as community organizations. This allows children to learn more about the local agencies, see equipment firsthand, and shape a positive view of local law enforcement officers and first responders.

“The Kids and Cops Day partnership was created to provide an opportunity for kids of all ages to interact with first responders in a positive way,” said Lisa Taylor, associate professor of instruction for the Law Enforcement Technology program at OHIO Lancaster. “Each event has been extraordinarily successful and upwards of 2,000 people have attended each year. Kids not only get to interact with officers, firefighters, and EMT’s, but kids have the ability to see various first responder vehicles and ask questions about what they do.”

Children will have the opportunity to learn about equipment and technology used by first responders. Agencies throughout the Fairfield County and surrounding areas will attend with cruisers, helicopters, Air Evac, S.W.A.T. vehicles, patrol cars, motorcycles, a smoke house, and much more.

“We are so excited that we get to have this event even though we had to move our date from May to August,” said Debbie Probasco, president of the Lancaster Citizen Police Academy Alumni Association. “I would like to thank Ohio University Lancaster and all the agencies for coming to our event. But more importantly I would like to thank all the businesses that have made this possible through their wonderful donations.”

Children will receive a free a gift bag and other giveaways. Local organizations will provide various child safety and promotional items. The first 500 children in attendance will receive a free t-shirt.