Imagine that you are driving with your family when you are suddenly involved in an accident, possibly with injuries. That's a scary situation, right? Now, imagine that same situation through the eyes of a small child. Seeing his or her parents injured and police officers at the scene can be frightening for a child. Or imagine a situation where a child's parents have been fighting and the police are there, maybe taking one of the parents with them. This is definitely an emotionally traumatizing event, and one that can lead to fear of police officers. If one of the officers present in either of the scenarios were carrying a teddy bear, they could share it with the child involved to help calm and distract them, and also to help the child realize that the police are not the "bad guys". The teddy bears obviously do not ease all of the trauma of the situation, but they help.
Bears on Patrol provides police officers with free teddy bears to use in cases involving small children. Psychological studies have proven that stuffed animals have a significant calming effect on children in a stressful or traumatic circumstances.
Bears on Patrol can work with individuals or groups to help get a Bears on Patrol program set up in your area and to give you tips and guidelines for talking to your local police and getting media exposure. Bears on Patrol are now supporting 24 police departments in 19 states.
If you would like to donate teddy bears to your local police department, contact Bears on Patrol and let them know your location and the name of your local department. BOP will contact them to make sure that they would like to receive the bears and get the name of a contact at the department for you. If you already have the bears you would like to donate, BOP will talk to the department to find out where they should be sent. If you would like BOP to provide the bears, they will gladly work out those details with your police department and send bears.
Get Involved:
Donate to Bears on Patrol.
Donate to a Specific Police Department's Bear Fund.
If you would like to donate bears, the bears must be new, and must be 6 to 15 inches. Bears may be shipped to:
Bears on Patrol
566 Preston Place Court
Carrollton, GA 30117
If you would like to donate teddy bears to your local police department, contact Bears on Patrol and let them know your location and the name of your local department. BOP will contact them to make sure that they would like to receive the bears and get the name of a contact at the department for you. If you already have the bears you would like to donate, BOP will talk to the department to find out where they should be sent. If you would like BOP to provide the bears, they will gladly work out those details with your police department and send bears.
Get Involved:
Donate to Bears on Patrol.
Donate to a Specific Police Department's Bear Fund.
If you would like to donate bears, the bears must be new, and must be 6 to 15 inches. Bears may be shipped to:
Bears on Patrol
566 Preston Place Court
Carrollton, GA 30117
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Source: http://www.bearsonpatrol.org/
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