WISCONSIN RAPIDS, Wis. (SPECTRUM NEWS) -- With schools and libraries closed during the coronavirus pandemic, Deputy Chief Brian Krzykowski and officers at the Wisconsin Rapids Police department decided to reach their youngest audience by connecting with them online.“ We realized all these kids were at home. How can we reach out to them? So, we decided to read to them over Facebook,” Krzykowski says.
“Hands down officers were like we want to do that. The neat part about it was especially because the officers had their favorite books they read to their kids when their kids were little,” Krzykowski says.
So far, more than a dozen book readings have been recorded. Each day parents can take their children to the Wisconsin Rapids Police Department's Facebook page to watch new readings or those already released.
“We get responses from parents that their kids enjoyed the books. Their kid sat down for seven minutes or while they were trying to prepare supper. Another person responded that this is going to be her daughter’s storytime before bed. It is really heartwarming to hear that,” Krzykowski says.
Reading to the kids and their families are also helping the officers as they adjust to the new normal. “It feels good inside that we touching these families and giving families something to look forward to. It makes us feel great too,” Krzykowski says.
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