Officers enjoy free school lunch while building relationships with students

{{tncms-inline content="<p><span style="font-weight: bold;">‘Having students build a relationship with law enforcement in a comfortable environment benefits everyone in the community for a lifetime’</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: bold;">Karl Bruchhaus</span></p> <p>Superintendent</p>" id="9e9a5f4f-d52c-47c7-87fd-118347f0d12e" style-type="quote" title="Pull Quote" type="relcontent"}}

<p class="indent">The Calcasieu Parish School Board launched its new Lunch with Law Enforcement program Thursday at A.A. Nelson Elementary School.

<p class="indent">The program is a partnership between CPSB’s school nutrition program and local law enforcement agencies. Officers from Lake Charles police, Louisiana State Police and the Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office could be seen arm wrestling, high-fiving and chatting with every grade level at Nelson.

<p class="indent">“It’s pretty cool seeing all the people who help our city,” said Abby, a fourth-grader. “It’s exciting to see who the people actually are.”

<p class="indent">As part of the program, officers from all local agencies will be able to eat lunch at no cost in CPSB school cafeterias on the first and third Thursdays of each month.

<p class="indent">“It’ll be really cool and thoughtful, especially to see all the gear they wear,” said fourth-grader Chase upon learning the officers would be visiting the campus regularly. “It’s nice of them to come eat with us.”

<p class="indent">Lunching with Law Enforcement was birthed from a collective internal conversation within CPSB’s leadership.

<p class="indent">“We wanted a way to engage our students with the community and engage the community with our students. So, this was the best of both worlds,” said Holly Holland, spokeswoman for the district.

<p class="indent">Superintendent Karl Bruchhaus said the initiative is a way to invest in students for a return that will last long after they’ve graduated.

<p class="indent">“Having students build a relationship with law enforcement in a comfortable environment benefits everyone in the community for a lifetime,” he said.

<p class="indent">Initiating positive relationships with law enforcement from a young age helps to shape the community’s mind and perception of law enforcement, said Sgt. James Anderson, spokesman for Louisiana State Police Troop D.

<p class="indent">“It’s very important to be part of the community and not apart from the community,” he said. “This gives opportunity for the kids to relate to us as people and for us to be a part of their lives at an impressionable age. Hopefully, they’ll see police are just like they are and we’re here to protect and serve them.”

<span style="font-weight: bold;">‘Having students build a relationship with law enforcement in a comfortable environment benefits everyone in the community for a lifetime’</span>

<span style="font-weight: bold;">Karl Bruchhaus</span>

Superintendent