Building Bridges program launched in Niagara Falls

Building Bridges program launched in Niagara Falls

Niagara Falls police are working with children to build connections at a young age.

IN THE WAKE OFRECENT CIVIL UNRESTFOLLOWING THEDEATH OF GEORGFLOYD INMINNEAPOLIS...NIAGARA FALLS ISKICKING OFF A NEWPROGRAM CALLED"BUILDING BRIDGES".AS SEVENEYEWITNESS NEWSREPORTER ALITOUHEY TELLS US..IT'S A "BUFFALOSTRONG" PROGRAMDESIGNED TO FOSTERA BETTERRELATIONSHIPBETWEEN POLICEOFFICERS ANDCHILDREN FROM THEINNER CITY.NAT OPENARIANA?

AND LEGEND?NIAGARA FALLS CITYPOLICE OFFICER ALIMAYES.NATHAVE YOU EVER BEENON IT?IS ON PATROL.BUT MONDAY'S BEAT ISDIFFERENT.MAYES AND OTHEROFFICERS ANDNIAGARA COUNTYSHERIFF'S DEPUTIESARE WORKING TOBUILD RELATIONSHIPSWITH THESE CHILDRENFROM NIAGARA FALLS.SOT :08IF EVER DO GO TOTHEIR HOUSE, THAT'SMY FRIEND.

THEY'REHERE TO HELP ME.THEY'RE NOT AFRAIDOF US, AND WE REALLYGET TO BUILD THATCOMMUNITYRELATIONSHIP.MAYES IS PART OF THEBUILDING BRIDGESPROGRAM.

FOR THENEXT TWOWEEKS.THEOFFICERS WILL BETAKING THESE 20 KIDSFROM NIAGARA FALLSTO VISIT VARIOUSATTRACTIONS.ORGANIZERS SAY IT'SBEING MADE POSSIBLETHANKS TOCOMMUNITYPARTNERS.NAT :03WE'VE GOT ACOMPLETELYDIFFERENT VIEW DOWNHERE THAN WE DID UPTHERE GUYS.STOP NUMBERONENIAGARA FALLSSTATE PARK FOR ARIDE ON THE MAID OFTHE MIST.SOT :05MAYES: WE'VE GOT AWIDE RANGE OFACTIVITIES SOHOPEFULLY EVERYONEHAS FUN ON THEDIFFERENT THINGSWE''RE DOING.FOR PARTICIPANTSLIKE LEGEND LEWIS,THE ATTRACTIONS AREFUN.

BUT SHE'SINTERESTED INGETTING TO KNOWTHE OFFICERS ASWELL.

THE 10 YEAROLD SAYS SHEDOESN'T KNOWANYONE PERSONALLYIN UNIFORM.SOT :06I DON'T GET TO BEAROUND MANY PEOPLEIN GENERAL, AND IT'SNICE TO BE WITHAUTHORITY FIGURES.SOT :08STEED: I HOPE THEYSEE THESE OFFICERSAGAIN AND SAY HEY,THEY TOOK ME ON THEMAID OF THE MIST ORTHEYBUT,ORGANIZERS AREHOPING TO MAKE THEPROGRITY OF N.F.

ALITOUINDEPEINGORGANIZERS AREHOPRAM MOREPERMANENT.F N.F.

ALITOUHEY, 7EW