Northgate State School welcomed its new Adopt-a-Cop, Detective Sergeant Frank Jefferies, during a ceremony that also paid tribute to Queensland’s first ever Adopt-a-Cop, Inspector Michael Volk.
Detective Sergeant Jefferies, who works at the Inner West Child Protection and investigation Unit, officially took the role last 13 September.
Adopt-a-Cops are police officers and Police Liaison Officers—referred to as “Adopt-a-PLOs” who volunteered to be part of the Program and be appointed to schools and other relevant organisations.
Inspector Volk was adopted by Northgate State School on June 17, 1985 and was a pioneer for the program. Since its first implementation, the program now has over 1,000 Adopt-a-Cops appointed and performing their functions in over a thousand schools across the state.
The Program aims to build positive relationships between police and members of the social community (students, staff, parents, carers, other interested community members).
As part of their functions, Adopt-a-Cops perform rapport-building and education roles such as delivering classroom presentations in partnership with teachers, attending key school events, addressing school parades, and conducting informal “drop in” visits, among others.
Apart from Adopt-a-Cops, Adopt-a-PLOs may also provide an additional role that will help promote cultural awareness and celebrate cultural diversity.
Benefits of the Adopt-a-Cop include:
- The enhanced safety and wellbeing of children through education;
- Positive attitudes of children towards police and the community;
- The encouragement of law abiding behaviour;
- Increased community satisfaction with the QPS;
- Greater community support of the QPS; and
- The professional development of police officers and Police Liaison Officers.
