Starting Wednesday, officers with the Fountain Inn Police Department have permission from the chief to reward drivers they pull over with a debit card for following the law.Chief Keith Morton said that officers will not stop drivers simply to give them a card."It will not be the primary reason for the stop," said Morton. "If we stop them for an equipment violation, but they have their paperwork together, we'll reward them, too."Morton said they could also be rewarded for going the speed limit or wearing a seat.Morton said his officers are going to have a great deal of latitude to determine what it is they see someone doing right.He said, "This is a way we can have positive interactions with people."Each debit card has freebies and discounts to four of the 12 local businesses participating in the program.A majority of those businesses are along Main Street, which is going to be under construction for several different projects."We want to make sure we're doing something to help our downtown merchants stay in business," said Morton.Every officer will get a predetermined number of cards.Once the debit cards are used, the police officers will pick them back up at the businesses and recycle them.It will be the way they track how successful the program is in the community.

Starting Wednesday, officers with the Fountain Inn Police Department have permission from the chief to reward drivers they pull over with a debit card for following the law.

Chief Keith Morton said that officers will not stop drivers simply to give them a card.

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"It will not be the primary reason for the stop," said Morton. "If we stop them for an equipment violation, but they have their paperwork together, we'll reward them, too."

Morton said they could also be rewarded for going the speed limit or wearing a seat.

Morton said his officers are going to have a great deal of latitude to determine what it is they see someone doing right.

He said, "This is a way we can have positive interactions with people."

Each debit card has freebies and discounts to four of the 12 local businesses participating in the program.

A majority of those businesses are along Main Street, which is going to be under construction for several different projects.

"We want to make sure we're doing something to help our downtown merchants stay in business," said Morton.

Every officer will get a predetermined number of cards.

Once the debit cards are used, the police officers will pick them back up at the businesses and recycle them.

It will be the way they track how successful the program is in the community.

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