Cops for Kids

The fight against crime requires much more than an effective criminal justice system. To secure a safe future for New Orleans, we as citizens must ensure that our city’s youth are provided with positive pathways for development. Similarly, police community relations must be improved to foster the cooperative partnerships that are essential to addressing the root causes of crime. Cops for Kids is an innovative program that provides education and enrichment activities for area youth while strengthening relationships among police, camp participants, and their families.

The Cops for Kids summer camp is a joint effort of the NOPJF, NOPD, the New Orleans Recreation Development Commission, and Kedila Family Learning Service. This camp annually serves 150 at-risk Orleans Parish children between the ages of 5 and 12. Children enrolled in the program receive a healthy breakfast and lunch. The campers participate in daily educational and extra curricula activities including water safety training, sports activities, and field trips focused on enriching their cultural knowledge. New Orleans Police Department officers are active participants in the camp, engaging in positive interactions with campers by sharing with them conflict resolution techniques and “No Bullying” lessons.