City of Grande Prairie Enforcement Services is thanking youngsters across the city for their work in spreading safety messages throughout the summer.
Over the summer months, the city ran its annual summer positive ticket program, where positive tickets were handed out to kids across the municipality for things like wearing a helmet while skateboarding or biking, or other safety-related deeds.
Sgt. Ross Gear with Enforcement Services says it was a good season for positive tickets, with a total of 29 being handed out between June and August. He adds the program is something officers enjoy taking part in.
“If nothing else, it gives us an opportunity to talk and interact with younger kids and reinforce when they do good things,” he says. “I want kids to know that when they do good things it’s appreciated and not ignored.”
Gear says despite helmets being more of a personal choice on bicycles or other transportation methods as people get older, he says families in the Grande Prairie area are doing a great job in trying to teach the importance of safety early. He adds that allowing the basics to become second nature goes a long way.
“If we can get the young kids to really reinforce safety, to have a helmet on and make sure it fits properly,” he says. “If you do have to use it, we’d like to make sure it serves its purpose and protects you.”
Ticket recipients could redeem tickets for free swag during the program, or, as in the case of grand prize winner Astrid Morgensen, who picked up a Nintendo Switch for her efforts this summer.
