On Friday, September 16, the Ocala Police Department’s ice cream truck initiative, the Polar Patrol, will celebrate its one-year anniversary with a trip to FantastiKids Academy of Ocala.
Earlier this week, OPD announced on its Facebook webpage that the Polar Patrol was planning a trip to a daycare within the city limits of Ocala to celebrate the program’s anniversary. Members of the local community submitted the names of numerous local daycare facilities, and Ocala Police Chief Mike Balken held a drawing on Wednesday to select a winner.
FantastiKids Academy of Ocala, which is located at 1606 NE 22nd Avenue, was announced as the winner of this year’s Polar Patrol drawing. The preschool will receive a special visit from OPD’s ice cream truck on Friday at 11 a.m.
The Polar Patrol program launched on September 16, 2021, with the goal of building positive relationships in the community by enabling police officers to meet and engage with people while enjoying ice cream together.
According to Balken, the police department’s ice cream truck has visited over 70 locations throughout the past year, serving over 2,500 people – mostly children. Balken states that police officers visiting neighborhoods and handing out free ice cream enables children and families to talk, listen, and build trust with police.
“The goodwill this program generates is undeniable,” says Balken. “Everywhere we go, we’re getting tons of smiles, very happy customers, and a lot of positive feedback.”
To learn more about FantastiKids Academy of Ocala, visit the preschool’s Facebook webpage.