NEWPORT NEWS — Children in elementary schools may see more cops this year.
The city’s police department has decided to expand the Adopt-A-School program to include all 24 public elementary schools.
Police Chief Steve Drew said officers will act as mentors and spend 30 minutes a week having some type of interaction with the students.
At least one officer will be assigned to each elementary school, he noted.
The mentors’ interactions with the students will range from greeting kids before or after school to reading during class or spending time with them during their lunch or recess hour, according to the department’s news release.
In addition, the officer can also attend special activities.
Assistant Police Chief Mike Grinstead went to Jenkins Elementary School and has decided to “adopt” the school, Drew said.
So why are the elementary schools having part-time mentors as opposed to full-time school resource officers like the middle and high schools?
Drew said the department does not have 26 officers he can assign as full-time school resources officers but what he can do is take 30 minutes of time a week to interact with students.
‘It’s important for me to set the example of how you want the officers to interact with the youth of the city,” Drew said.