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Program seeks to foster positive connections between police and children

A program at Omaha’s Central Park Elementary School seeks to connect students with Omaha Police officers in a positive setting.

The program began last week. Central Park principal Scott Sturgeon is inviting Omaha Police to have lunch with students. Sturgeon says the program’s goal is to combat stereotypes that children may have about police.

"If you have a negative opinion of a group, the best way to intervene is to let that group get to know your kids, and get your kids to know that group. So rather than the students thinking of police officers as this group, and have this role that maybe they’ve gotten from TV, or news, or maybe how the community might think about them, they’ll get to see them in an informal setting if they just come to lunch."

Sturgeon believes the program will have a significant impact on how young people view the police community.

Several OPD groups have been invited to have lunch with the students at Central Park Elementary.