For many residents, law enforcement is not the first thing that comes to mind when seeking help outside of dealing with crime. But for many residents, the members of the St. Cloud Police Community Engagement Team, as part of the larger Community Policing Division, are often the best source for help when faced with life’s difficulties.
Led for the last nine years by Officer Lin Badman-Paton, her five officers brought on thanks to funding from the COPS grant perform a wide variety of crime prevention training and activities for the community to make them safer and help decrease crime in St. Cloud. Among the long list of education and resources that can be provided by the Community Engagement Team, in collaboration with other offices within the division, are self-defense training for women, “scam proof ” training for senior citizens, providing information on child safety programs, and even assisting with proper adjustment of child car seats. In addition to working directly with residents, the team is active with local organizations, schools, businesses, and other St. Cloud stakeholders.
All of these activities lead to collaboration and open communication between the police department and the community to build positive relationships, enhance trust, and ensure a safer environment for all residents…