By Eric Rosane
Tri-City Herald (Kennewick, Washington)
KENNEWICK, Wash. – Kennewick residents who do good for their community could have an extra $100 to spend.
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The Kennewick Police Foundation and HAPO Credit Union officially launched a “Positive Policing Program” on Monday.
Under the pilot program, police officers will receive loaded VISA gift cards that they will distribute to honorable citizens who are guilty of positive deeds.
“It brings to light the good things that are happening – kind of like ‘neighbors helping neighbors,'” said Jim Zimmerman, vice president of the Kennewick Police Foundation, a nonprofit organization independent of the city.
Police Chief Chris Guerrero said the program will allow patrol officers to serve the community, empower residents to help their neighbors and strengthen a sense of community.
He said the new program is consistent with the police department’s mission to provide “professional police services with integrity, courage and commitment.”
“In our profession, we often experience a lot of negative things,” Guerrero said. “So when you go out and do that, you’re not constantly looking for people doing something wrong, but sometimes you want to catch people doing something right. And that’s what the core of this program is about.”
Cards are already being handed out to residents, Guerrero said.
One example was recently highlighted on the department’s Facebook page. Two men received tickets for helping a woman change a flat tire one morning at the corner of Deschutes Avenue and Crosswind Boulevard.
“The two citizens who helped the driver had been working at a nearby construction site and immediately rushed to help the stranded driver. The two also said they just hoped someone would help their wives if they ever found themselves in a similar situation,” the July 30 post said.
Another person was also honored for helping a sick person, Guerrero said.
Stephanie Waechter, community support specialist at HAPO, said they hope to encourage more positive interactions and promote a sense of unity and safety. This program is modeled after a previous campaign that gave cards to randomly selected citizens.
“It was just a really cool thing to be able to make someone happy with a kind gesture. We are very happy,” she said.
However, the city cannot lead these efforts because Washington state laws and regulations prohibit municipalities from giving away public funds.
To issue a VISA card, police officers must fill out a form that includes information about who is receiving the money and why they are receiving the card. Guerrero said HAPO and the foundation would monitor the cards.
The program will begin with 20 $100 gift cards and may be extended after that, depending on commitment and recognition criteria, Guerrero said.
“I hope there’s no end in sight,” he said. “Kennewick has great members, great citizens, great people who really care about each other. That’s what makes a strong community, and that’s exactly what our people are looking for.”
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