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ebook History of Watertown, Wisconsin
Chapter on
Watertown Police Department
Police B.A.C.K. Packets Program
03 31 2008
Watertown police officers implemented a new way to comfort children in a crisis — give them a book.
As part of the new program, B.A.C.K. Packets (Become a Cheerful Kid), each Watertown police officer keeps a backpack in their squad car filled with 10 to 12 new children's books.
When a police officer is confronted with a crisis situation involving children, the officer can give the child a book.
Chief Charles McGee said not only will officers give the child a book but they will also try to spend an extra five minutes to read the book with the child.
McGee learned about the B.A.C.K. Packet program at a Wisconsin Chiefs of Police Association conference in February. He received four packets at the program and recently received a number more to fill the 11 cars for the department. McGee said the department's eight marked cars and three detective cars will all carry the back packs.
"Often in a traumatic situation and for example we're arresting the child's parent we're looked at as a bad guy. Taking time to go through the book with the child is so meaningful to them and something they will remember forever. Hopefully it will help the child understand officers are their friend and are the good guys. It's a tremendous program not unlike the bears that we give out now. The books make more sense just because you're giving something a lot of these kids have never had before and that's a book to read. I've been told a lot of these kids don't have books of their own or in their house. It's comforting for them to get something that is just theirs."
- Chief Charles McGee
History of Watertown, Wisconsin