Chilliwack RCMP ‘ticket’ youth for doing the right thing

Normally, parents would not be happy knowing their child brought home a ticket from the police.

But if the ticket was issued for doing something good, that’s a different story.

Over the past few weeks, Chilliwack RCMP have been wandering through parks, playgrounds and the streets of Chilliwack in search of kids behaving well and officers have been handing out “tickets” as part of the Positive Ticket campaign.

The program, in partnership with the Chilliwack Crime Prevention Society and the City of Chilliwack, is directed at community engagement with local youth.

The goal is to acknowledge and reward positive behaviour displayed by youth or community members with a ticket. Folks may be ticketed for wearing a bicycle helmet while cycling, being a good role model, physically distancing, wearing a face covering, helping others or picking up after themselves.

“Positive ticketing not only serves as positive reinforcement for good citizenship but also allows local police officers the opportunity to engage in a positive way with the community,” said RCMP spokesperson Sgt. Krista Vrolyk. “It’s important for kids to realize that their efforts in being good and responsible citizens are noticed and appreciated by others in the community.”

Those who receive a ticket get a little bit more than just acknowledgement. Attached to the tickets is a voucher for a local business.

“How exciting is it for a kid to receive a ‘Positive Ticket’ for their behaviour and celebrate with a free item from a local business?” Vrolyk added.

The campaign is new to Chilliwack, but some RCMP detachments across the country have been taking part in the Positive Ticket campaign for years.

“The feedback we have received for this initiative has been phenomenal,” Vrolyk said. “The kids love it, parents love it. police officers love it. It’s a great way of building trust, partnerships and connection with the community we serve.”

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