The Kids & Cops Program

In 2012 under Sheriff Dwayne Goodwin the Sheriff’s Office set out to create a program building lasting relationships between local law enforcement and the youth in our community. Former Sheriff Goodwin and Deputy Ricky Winebarger came up with the KIDS AND COPS program. The Sheriff’s Office has partnered with Chowan County 4H, and the Edenton-Chowan Public Schools, for a week long summer camp intended to build a bond between our “kids” and our “cops” and it has continued to grow and foster relationships thanks to generous funding and donations from companies like Murphy Brown, Smithfield, Albemarle EMC, and numerous civic organizations, churches and local businesses.

The program has grown from a week long middle school camp, to a summer long series of events for youths of all ages. In the past the KIDS AND COPS mentor program provided training to select High School aged students, who would serve as mentors during our KIDS AND COPS events. They were trained in CPR and boater safety, went canoeing, and had a campout. Once again, this year we had an Elementary School level program which taught the kids about health and fitness, took them fishing at the Edenton National Fish Hatchery, and students built cars for the “Cop-Annapolis 500”.

In the past students toured vehicles from the Chowan County Sheriff’s Office, the Center Hill Cross Roads Fire Department, Chowan County EMS, and a boat from the U.S. Coast Guard. After touring the vehicles, the youth work in teams with a law enforcement officer or public safety professional to build and race a patrol car made from cardboard. The fastest kid does not win the race, the team that works together best wins.