Local sheriff offers advice on introducing children to law enforcement

MADISON COUNTY, Tenn. — Parents, have you ever wondered how to introduce your child to police in a healthy manner?

“I see it in grocery stores, and a 3-year-old isn’t acting right,” Crockett County Sheriff Troy Klyce said. “The parent says ‘there’s the sheriff, he’s going to lock you up.’ It scares them to death, and it just reinforces that fear.”

That may not be the best way to introduce your child to law enforcement.

“You’re basically helping them form an opinion at a very early age on what law enforcement officers do,” Sheriff Klyce said.

Klyce says parents mean well when they try this approach, but it isn’t helpful.

“It drives me crazy, because you see the kids look up at you in fear,” Klyce said. “Their eyes get big and it really scares them. I want to say to the parents to please not do that, but it happens. I don’t think the parents really realize what they’re doing. They mean well, but it makes law enforcement officers cringe when they hear it.”

There are other ways to introduce your children to law enforcement.

“One way to teach your children is to take them and walk over to a police officer, show them that the officer is there. Most officers are more than willing to, and would love to interact with them anyway,” Klyce said.

Klyce says this interaction will help kids understand that law enforcement is here to help.

He also says community events involving law enforcement or speaking at schools for the DARE program help children relate to them more.

“It’s just as important, if not more important, to teach our children that we’re husbands, wives, fathers, mothers. We’re just like everybody else. We just have a job to do,” Klyce said.

Klyce says kids need to know that they can run to law enforcement for help in an emergency.