ROCHESTER, Minn. - The Rochester Police Department is spending time with kids in the community in hopes of showing them that officers are there for them.
Officers spent the day at Chester Woods giving a handful of kids not only a fishing lesson, but also maybe a life lesson. The organization, Hope Fuse, is a non-profit in Rochester that works with young kids through mentor ship, development and help get them where they need to be for their greatest potential. The founder, Manasseh Kambaki said he reached out to the Rochester Police Department in hopes of helping the kids grow and build strong relationships with local law enforcement. "We want to make sure that the kids understand that not all police officers may be what we see in the TV or the news, but there are good people out there," explained Kambaki. "At the end of the day, police officers, myself and people in different career fields are humans. So the goal behind us partnering and collaborating together so that the youth can build that trust within our law enforcement."
Kambaki said when you start making a positive impact on kids at the right age, that's when it's really making a difference. "I think it's very important we start young," Kambaki explained. "So if we could get them before the age of 12, we can build that positive image that will last a life time."
Kambaki plans on doing more events with the Rochester Police Department next month, like a bike ride, a barbeque and a back to school bash. He said he want to continue building this relationship for many years to come. If you would like more information about Hope Fuse, you can head to their website.