LAFAYETTE, La. (KLFY) – The Lafayette Police Department is stepping up in a big way.
Lafayette Police officers are teaming up with Big Brothers Big Sister of Acadiana to mentor local students through a program called “Bigs in Blue.”
Several officers are planning to spend one hour a week serving as a Big Brother or Big Sister to a child facing adversity.
“We already strive to have our officers that are in the schools to connect with the kids,” said LPD Corporal Paul Mouton, “What we’re hoping we’ll see is that they’ll be able to identify those kids, those at risk kids that need the most help the most mentoring, and hopefully turn around their lives.”
Almost 80 children are waiting to be matched, 65 of which are male.
“We’re going to be focusing on the grades second through fifth,” said Big Brothers Big Sisters Program Director Kalli Jackson.
The interview process has already started to find the children the perfect Big Brother or Big Sister in blue.
Officers who indicate interest in being a mentor will apply, be interviewed and then be matched with a Little just like every other volunteer who goes through the Big Brother Big Sister program.
“Our hope is that it’s successful in such a way that hopefully we can get other officers that would want to voluntarily come on board and be mentors to kids that are in these at risk homes,” said Mouton.
The program will kick off this summer and the police Bigs will meet with their Littles at their respective schools on a weekly basis.
So far the schools that are participating in the program include:
- Wallace James Elementary
- J.W. Faulk Elementary
- Alice N. Boucher Elementary
- Evangeline Elementary
- Myrtle Place Elementary
- Prairie Elementary
If you feel like your child could benefit from having a Big Brother or Big Sister you can call their office or visit their website.
