Kids, Cops, & Classrooms in Rhode Island

Providence – The Rhode Island State Police, Rhode Island Police Chiefs’ Association, and Rhode Island Department of Attorney General, in conjunction with federal, state and municipal law enforcement agencies throughout the state, and Rhode Island corporate sponsors including Ocean State Job Lot, Benny’s Home and Auto, Samsonite, and Walgreen’s Pharmacy are donating backpacks and school supplies for the children who are clients of Crossroads Rhode Island, Children’s Friend, Project Night Vision, the Center for Southeast Asians, the Hispanic Ministers’ Association, Family Service of Rhode Island, the Multi-Service Center for All, the African Alliance, Mount Hope Neighborhood Association, and the Chad Brown Alumni Association. The school supplies are for students from pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade. This is the eighth year that this event has been held.

Law enforcement agencies have been collecting donations and will bring them to the press conference. The goal of “Kids, Cops, & Classrooms” is to help relieve the burden parents experience when they prepare their children to return to school. Due to budgetary restrictions in the state’s cities and towns, families are being asked to provide more of their own school supplies as well as other supplies for use by the entire class. Another goal of this event is to show children that police officers are their friends and are in the community to help them. Rhode Island law enforcement has a history of helping families, especially children, and also hosts a similar event during the Christmas holiday season.