(Matthew Doarnberger, Headline USA) Police in Tacoma Park, Md., and have partnered with 7-Eleven to issue coupons for free Slurpees to children who do the right thing, DC News Now reported.
According to the convenience store’s corporate site, it is one of about 1,300 law-enforcement agencies participating in the program, dubbed “Operation Chill.”
The objective to reduce the growing amount of juvenile crime by fostering better community relationships with police officers and at-risk youth.
“Operation Chill provides opportunities for officers to establish a positive connection with kids in their neighborhood,” said the website. “The reasons for being rewarded coupons are varied—wearing a helmet while riding a bike, picking up litter, helping a neighbor or holding the door open—but the result is the same for every child: A free Slurpee® drink and a smile for a good deed.”
First introduced in 1995, Operation Chill has issued an estimated 24 million coupons throughout its history.
Implementing this program for the summer months isn’t just about the appeal of a cool beverage on a hot day, but also combating the rise in crime that results from schools not being in session.
“This is a good program, especially during the summer months when crime tends to go up a little bit because schools are out,” said Takoma Park police Lt. Cynthia Williams.
According to the Montgomery County Police Department, between 2022 and 2023 the number of juvenile arrestees increased by 329%, the number of juvenile violent crime suspects went up 178% and the number of juvenile victims rose 216%.
Takoma Park Police Department Spokeswoman Catherine Plevy said that the rise in youth crime was due to its close proximity to other problematic places in the Washington, D.C., area.
“Though we do have some youth crime, it’s not our youth in Takoma Park,” she noted.
“They are coming from other jurisdictions—we border Montgomery County, and Prince George’s, and the District of Columbia,” she added. “So, since it’s so close you can literally come in and leave quickly.”
