DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Daytona Beach police have come up with a creative way to connect with children in the community.
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On Friday, the department rolled out “Drip Patrol,” its brand-new ice cream truck.
Only Eyewitness News was with Chief Jakari Young when he delivered sweet treats at local schools.
The first stop was Champion Elementary School, followed by Westside Elementary School, where students were rewarded for good attendance and behavior.
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The students will forever be part of history in Daytona Beach, as they stood face to face with Chief Young, who began a new chapter in his department focused on building better relationships in the community.
A month has made a dramatic difference in the community.
In August, Channel 9 gave a passenger seat look at a major drug investigation called “Operation Ice Breaker,” where officers took guns and narcotics off the streets.
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Before that, only our cameras captured the bust of Jay’s Food Store in January and the takedown of two illegal gambling establishments in April.
The success of those investigations put Young in a position to go from “Operation Ice Breaker” to “Operation Ice Cream.”
“We want to keep our streets crime-free and do our best to prevent crime but it’s also important to give back, it’s also important for these kids in the community to see us when it’s not just a tragic incident,” said Young.
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He adds making kids comfortable with police can also help them solve crimes, something his officers struggled with last summer as they investigated several shootings.
“Hopefully, they remember and hopefully there is a level of comfort with these students when they see folks in uniform. You know we’ve had those upticks, so I am still cautiously optimistic with how we close out 2024,” said Young.
Young calls driving the “Drip Patrol” and taking treats to schools to celebrate things like perfect attendance and good behavior the cherry on top, and so far, it seems to be a sweet success.
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