Pittsfield PD's 'Operation Copsicle' inspires San Antonio Police ice cream truck, uniting community through popsicles and prayer
PITTSFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) – What started as a sweet summertime tradition in Pittsfield to connect police officers with the community has now inspired a similar initiative nearly 2,000 miles away in San Antonio, Texas.
Operation Copsicle delivers smiles, free treats in Pittsfield
San Antonio Police Department (SAPD) recently launched its ice cream truck initiative, Police, Popsicles, and Prayer, aimed at fostering trust, dialogue, and inclusion in neighborhoods across the city.
The effort takes its cues from Operation Copsicle, a Pittsfield Police Department program that has gained national recognition for using frozen treats to engage with local youth and families. The connection between the two departments came about last year when SAPD Community Officer Greene met Pittsfield Officer Derby at a Community Policing Conference. There, Officer Greene learned about Operation Copsicle and brought the concept back to Texas.
Working in partnership with Unite SA Network, a local faith-based organization, SAPD officially rolled out its ice cream truck program earlier this year. A photo shared by Pittsfield Police shows SAPD officers standing with residents–including Pittsfield locals Kayla and Catie, who coincidentally encountered the truck while visiting San Antonio a few months ago.
'This is now the fifth police department in the U.S. and Canada to implement their version of a police ice cream truck after connecting with us,' Pittsfield Police said in a social media post.
From Massachusetts to Texas, the mission remains the same: building community trust, one popsicle at a time.
WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on WWLP.com.
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