"Bike Cops for Kids" Truck Brings Smiles and Connections
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Two Minneapolis policemen working in Minneapolis’ public schools as school resource officers – Mike Kirchen and Mark Klukow – wanted to maintain a connection with the kids during the summer months.
“They spent the nine months of the school year developing a strong rapport,” said NAFA Regular Member Al Thunberg, CAFM, “and they didn’t want to abandon those relationships while the kids were out of school.”
Kirchen and fellow officer Dave O’Connor created “Bike Cops for Kids,” regarded as one of the most effective youth engagement efforts in the history of the Minneapolis Police Department.
Thunberg continued, “Tim Dolan, the police chief at the time, and his staff allowed the two officers to do the project during the summer months, but they had to raise the money through private donors.”
Minneapolis attorney Mike Ciresi jumped on board with a donation of $10,000 that first summer. “That allowed the officers to buy bikes and bike helmets to hand out to kids throughout the summer of 2009.”
The program was so successful, the means of distribution had to expand, and a renovated food truck was procured for the effort.
Thunberg, Fleet Services Director for the City of Minneapolis, said the converted ice cream wagon also distributes refreshments during hot summer days.
Bike Cops for Kids is now a year-round program within the department. Since 2009, the program has given away:
• 500 bikes
• 9,000 bike helmets
• 3,000 Minneapolis Police Department water bottles
• Visits for 150 kids to Minnesota Twins baseball games in the Champions Club
In an interview, Officer Kirchen said that the effort not only instills confidence between the children and the police but with their parents also. “When grown-ups see the positive interaction with kids, they like that, and they want to be part of it and meet us.”
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