West Springfield Police promoting safety through free ice cream for kids

WEST SPRINGFIELD, MA (WGGB/WSHM) - An effort is underway to promote safety within the community while supporting a local ice cream shop. The West Springfield Police Department is giving out tickets to kids, but not the kind you think

West Springfield Police Officer Erika Ireland came up with the idea.

“So the ‘Ice Cream Initiative’ or as we call it ‘I Got Caught’ here in West Springfield is about rewarding kids in our community that we see riding their bikes or scooter or inlines to reward them for riding with helmets on. Wearing helmets is a huge safety precaution, instead of any accidents or falls, and we want to keep the kids safe,” Ireland explained.

Nolan Maslak told Western Mass News what it felt like to be served.

“My mind was like…OMG, I don’t know what to do,” Maslak noted.

With Ireland promoting safety in the community in this unique way, West Springfield Mayor Will Reichelt is all for it.

“I think it’s a great idea. For one, making kids wear helmets, ya know, I remember when I was growing up, it wasn’t cool to wear a helmet, but…getting kids to wear them and making sure they know it’s cool and rewarding them with a local ice cream from town is a great combination,” Reichelt added.

The partnering ice cream shop told us they are happy to help-

“Yes, so Smokin’ Scoops is donating 100 percent of the ice cream for this process, for this initiative with the conjunction with the West Springfield Police Department…When the kids are served their free ice cream coupon, they are sentenced to any of our flavors as their free scoop,” said Jon Goodhind, co-owner of Smokin’ Scoops.

As for Maslak’s reward, he said, “I might get strawberry. They have it and then I’m going to get melted marshmallows on top of it.”

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