Catching kids doing things right instead of wrong, that's the goal behind the Positive Ticket Program that has been a successful ongoing initiative in Innisfail for several years.
The idea behind the Positive Ticket Program is to hand out tickets rewarding the youth of the community who are caught in the act of doing good deeds for the public, or practising safety.
Some of these good deeds and safety acts include wearing helmets and protective gear while riding bikes, wearing seatbelts while in a car or driving, pulling the car over and stopping while using a cellphone, acting as a designated driver, utilizing crosswalks and using garbage cans or recycling containers to dispose of waste.
This year, six packages of 20 tickets were distributed to the Innisfail RCMP detachment and 100 tickets were given to the Innisfail community peace officers.
The Positive Ticket Program originally started in Richmond, B.C., after Ward Clapham, a retired veteran of the Richmond RCMP detachment, used his vision of police officers finding and rewarding kids for doing good deeds. He turned it into an active program.
Today, the program has gone national and international, as it is practised and operated in places across the country and beyond -- from Toronto to Somerset County in Maine.
The Innisfail Positive Ticket Program is facilitated and operated by Family and Community Support Services, (FCSS) in partnership with the Innisfail RCMP Detachment and Innisfail community peace officers.
“I think this program was started to recognize kids for their positive actions and to help build good relationships between the youth of our community and RCMP officers and peace officers,” said Tammy Oliver-McCurdie, FCSS manager.
She added the program has seen steady success since it started in the community three years ago.
This year, a total of 220 tickets were distributed to Innisfail RCMP members and peace officers, an amount that is about 10 per cent higher when compared to other years.
“Our goal is to give out as many tickets as possible and to catch as many positive acts as we can,” said Oliver-McCurdie.
The Positive Ticket Program is seasonal, starting July 1 and finishing Oct. 31 annually.
“Summer is a very active time for children, as they are out of school and outside on the street more,” she said.
“We want kids to be safe while they are on the street and this program is a great way to help ensure that.”
Oliver-McCurdie went on to say that random acts of kindness, especially by the younger members of the community, often go unnoticed and unappreciated. The Positive Ticket Program is about detecting those acts of kindness, and ensuring they are not ignored.
She added that not all communities in Alberta have the Positive Ticket Program and she is pleased that Innisfail is among the small handful that do.
“I was so excited to come to a town where the Positive Ticket Program is practised,” Oliver-McCurdie said.
“It's an awesome feature to our town.”
Innisfail RCMP Staff Sgt. Chris Matechuk is one of the distributers of the tickets and he says so far the program has been a big community success story.
“What is important about the program is that it supports the community,” said Matechuk.
“It also encourages the youth of the community to build stronger relationships with our members.”
He added that this summer, there have been numerous tickets given out to kids who were found wearing helmets while riding their bikes and skateboards.
“It's about promoting positive activity in the community,” he said. “And I am glad to be a part of it.”
