Sudbury cops teach kids fishing in annual safety event

CTV News

09-07-2025

Local police traded badges for fishing rods Wednesday, hosting 13 kids for a day of angling and safety lessons on Whitewater Lake.
Police and conservation officers gathered at Whitewater Lake in Greater Sudbury, Ont., on Tuesday to teach 13 children how to fish as part of an annual youth engagement initiative.
Whitewater Lake - Cops & Kids Fishing
Police and conservation officers gathered at Whitewater Lake in Greater Sudbury, Ont., on July 8, 2025, to teach children how to fish as part of an annual youth engagement initiative. (Madison Marier/CTV News Northern Ontario)
Annual event promotes youth engagement
The event, now in its 14th year, brought together members of the Greater Sudbury Police Service, Ontario Provincial Police and the Ministry of Natural Resources for a day of fishing, safety lessons, and community bonding.
'Today we're out on Whitewater Lake in Zelda, and it's cops, kids, and fishing,' said Sudbury police chief Sara Cunningham. 'It's an annual event, and today's all about youth engagement with our police officers.'
Teaching safety and building trust
Fishing is a popular pastime in northern Ontario, and organizers hope the activity will keep children both entertained and safe during the summer months.
'We want to be able to educate them on how to be safe on the water, what to do, and where not to go,' said OPP Const. Martin Mailloux-Ratte. 'So, it's also going to be an educative day for them.'
Beyond water safety, the event aims to foster positive relationships between youth and law enforcement.
'It's a positive way to build our new generation,' said Mailloux-Ratte. 'And if they want to become police officers, it's great for us. We have people to replace us, as we're not getting any younger.'
That sentiment resonated with 13-year-old Joseph McMurray, one of the junior anglers in attendance. 'I would like to be a police officer, yeah,' he said.
A friendly competition
The day also included a friendly fishing competition, with the winner taking home a trophy. McMurray shared his strategy for success: 'I'm going to catch a small fish, put it out, and then a bigger fish is going to eat that little fish – and then I'll get a bigger fish.'
Others, like siblings Kataleya and Jackson Chartrand, offered simpler advice: 'Have patience.'
The event was supported by Canadian Tire's Jumpstart program, which helps fund youth sports and recreation initiatives.