OPP Positive Ticketing Program
Youth organizations and law enforcement agencies across North America
have invested significant time and resources into exploring and utilizing the Developmental Assets framework developed by the Search Institute™.
It has been determined that the more assets a youth possesses, the more successful he/she will be in school, the healthier they will be, and the greater the likelihood that they will contribute to their community. Alternatively, they will be less likely to be involved in risky behaviours such as alcohol, drugs, violence, and criminal activities.
One proactive initiative that is proving to be very effective in building up these Developmental Assets is what is called a Positive Ticketing Program. Variations of this program have been established across Canada in communities such as Richmond, Kelowna, Grand Prairie, Toronto and Caledon.
The "Positive Tickets" are an avenue or tool that can be utilized by our members to initiate relationships between youth, their communities and local businesses.They are donated by businesses and/or organizations in the community and administered by detachments via the OPP Crime Prevention Section, when appropriate.
A youth may receive a "Positive Ticket" from an officer for any number of positive behaviours:
- to recognize youth for practicing personal safety such as wearing bicycle helmets;
- doing various good deeds;
- participating in community activities;
- demonstrating community pride eg. picking up trash;
- deterring crime or observing school crossing rules; or
- as an "icebreaker" to establish a rapport with kids in their patrol area.
The intention is to ensure that the "Positive Tickets" legitimately reinforce the positive behaviour exhibited by a youth, by offering something of value.
Promoting Positive Encounters with Youth
Kids have another reason to look forward to their next encounter with an Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) officer, thanks to a pair of youth initiatives developed in partnership with Mac's Convenience Stores. These initiatives recognize positive behaviour by our communities' youth in a "very cool way" during the summer and with a "very warm welcome" during each winter.
In addition
to recognizing good behaviour, "Operation Freeze" and "Operation Heat"
facilitate opportunities for OPP officers to interact with youth in a positive
manner in support of the OPP Positive Ticketing Program. Officers may use the coupons to recognize
youth for wearing bicycle helmets, doing good deeds, participating in community
activities, picking up trash, pro-actively deterring crime or observing
safe-street crossing rules. Officers can
also make use of these "positive tickets" as literal "icebreakers" to establish
a dialogue with kids in their patrol areas.
Though the
reasons for issuing the coupons may vary, the end result of this youth positive
ticketing initiative is the same for every youngster: a positive police -
community interaction experience and a free ice cold Froster beverage or a free
delicious hot beverage!
"Mac's strives to be a leader in crime prevention" said Sean Sportun, Manager of Loss Prevention & Security for Mac's in Central Canada. "We are very excited about Operation Freeze and Operation Heat and the positive message they both deliver."
"The OPP is
pleased to participate in community based initiatives that recognize youth for
responsible and caring behaviour," advises Inspector Leslie Craig, Manager of
the OPP Crime Prevention Section. "Partnering with local businesses and
engaging our youth in a positive manner helps make our communities stronger."
Operation Freeze
Operation Heat
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