The puns are plentiful as police departments around the country buy their own ice cream trucks and roll into neighborhoods to hand out frozen treats for free.
“Copsicle Patrol” is written on the one in Danbury, Connecticut. “Freeze! You have the right to remain frozen,” says another in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. “Let’s Chill Together,” Cleveland’s proclaims. “Frosty Five-O. Get the inside scoop” declares one in Palm Bay, Florida. “To Protect and Soft Serve,” says yet another in Toldedo, Ohio.
Whimsical slogans aside, a growing number of local law enforcement outfits are using the trucks for a serious mission: to have positive interactions with their communities at a time when headlines often feature police brutality and misconduct.
“There is no better way to draw the community to approach the police and let them know that we are approachable, we’re humans as well, than by handing out free ice cream to the kids,” said Lt. Kyle Besse of the Norwich, Connecticut, police department. “The smiles on the kids’ faces are really what make you realize that this is a great community outreach service.”
Norwich police’s all-electric Chevy BrightDrop van debuted in early August, with about 90% of the $43,000 cost coming from donations from area businesses and contributors, and the rest from the city. Some departments have used tax revenue from legal marijuana sales and property seizures to fund their ice cream operations.
‘Seeing kids be happy’
On a recent day, Norwich’s van stopped at a local school where children were participating in sports camps. It was a hit as officers handed out ice cream sandwiches, bubble gum-flavored pops and Italian ices.
“Instead of seeing people in jail, they’re seeing kids be happy,” said 11-year-old Rozzy Constant, who opted for the bubble gum pop.
The truck later rolled into an apartment complex. In a police cruiser accompanying the truck, Besse used his phone to play ice cream truck songs through the exterior loudspeaker. The department is now raising money to outfit the truck with its own sound system and police lights.
Angela Pires heard the music and rushed out with her grandchildren.
“It’s a great idea. Not everybody can afford it,” she said. “Police get a lot of bad publicity. It’s about time that they get good things said about them.”
Marijuana tax and property seizures fund some programs
Like Norwich, many departments’ ice cream truck programs are funded by donations, and the treats they hand out for free are often provided to them at no charge by local businesses like grocery stores and ice cream shops. Norwich police list 20 sponsors on their truck.
In Danbury, Connecticut, police used tax revenue from the city’s legal marijuana dispensaries to pay for their truck, which hit the streets in July and was the first one in the state.
