A police department in Massachusetts has always worked to protect and serve the community, but now serving them includes free ice cream.
The Pittsfield Police Department, in an effort to strengthen ties with the community, launched "Operation Copsicle" on July 4th.
The department purchased an ice cream truck so officers could drive around town offering free ice cream to anyone who could use a cool treat this summer.
Officer Darren Derby says he got the idea from police departments in St. Louis and Boston who have already been doing something similar. He says, "I look at it as another tool to create a relationship, building trust in the community not just with the kids, but with the adults.”
He adds, "They realize there is something behind the badge. There’s a heart, there’s love, there’s a connection to everybody. We live in this community. Our children grew up here; we grew up here." (WNYT-TV)