Helping young people is a fun and rewarding way to spend your time, and it’s one of the best ways I know to make a difference in the future of our state. Over the past couple of weeks, I’ve gotten to spend time with kids in Charlotte, Wilmington, Morehead City and Gaston County as part of the Badges for Baseball program.
Badges for Baseball is a crime prevention program sponsored by the Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation and my office that pairs law enforcement professionals with young people. The officers serve as mentors and coaches to the kids, and help them learn how to make good choices in life. I teamed up with the Foundation to bring Badges for Baseball to North Carolina because I believe helping children find positive role models is one of the best ways to prevent crime, fight gangs and keep kids out of trouble.
During my visits around the state, I got a chance to roll up my sleeves and play Quickball with the kids. Quickball is a baseball-like sport that emphasizes teamwork and gives every child a chance to be successful, regardless of their age or size. The kids have really taken to the game and it was great to see them playing with and learning from law enforcement officers.
Badges for Baseball has worked well in other states. In some communities where kids used to run away from patrol cars, they now run up to talk to the officers. The program helps young people know that law enforcement officers are their friends, not their enemies.
Across North Carolina, we have 17 community organizations such as Boys and Girls Clubs and Police Athletic Leagues and 36 law enforcement agencies participating in the program. I plan to visit other locations around the state and look forward to meeting with the kids to see how this program is making a difference in their lives.
I encourage all North Carolinians to get involved in their community. The United We Serve campaign is a great way to find out about ways you can make a difference in our state. To learn more about the campaign or to register to volunteer, visit www.serve.gov.
Law enforcement professionals who want to get involved with Badges for Baseball can contact SBI Assistant Special Agent in Charge Mike DeSilva at (919) 716-6400 or email him at mdesilva@ncdoj.gov.
