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Indybay Feature

Santa Cruz Police Department Partners with 7-Eleven Stores to Indoctrinate Kids

by Santa Cruz Police News
The Santa Cruz Police Department announced they will be partnering with 7-Eleven stores to launch "Operation Chill," which is code for a program that attempts to affect the behavior of kids, and change their perception of the police department, by bribing them with free slurpees.
operation_chill.jpg
SCPD issued the press release on July 28:

"Courtesy of 7–Eleven, officers are hitting the streets with “Operation Chill” coupons. When officers observe kids exhibiting good behavior, they can issue an “Operation Chill” coupon. The coupons are good for a FREE small Slurpee® drink at any one of the four 7–Eleven Stores in the City of Santa Cruz. "

The press release included additional free advertising for the local 7-Eleven stores by including their store addresses.

The press release goes on:

"Since its inception in 1995, Operation Chill has allowed police departments to issue more than 12.5 million coupons, or “tickets” to kids in communities throughout the country."

"Jeff Hetherington, the local Asset Protection Manager for 7–Eleven commented, “This program is a big hit with both law enforcement agencies and kids. Police officers enjoy having a positive reason to approach kids and thank them for being good citizens, and the kids love the interaction, and of course, the Slurpee”."

"The program will last for as long as the coupons do."
§SCPD/Operation Chill Press Release
by Santa Cruz Police News
07-28-14_announcing_operation_chill_with_7-eleven_stores.pdf_600_.jpg
Add Your Comments

Comments (Hide Comments)
by Peace Witch
...police departments go back to a community policing model and the officers are part of the communities they serve.
by Slurpee slayer
I can get behind rewarding good behavior and having good interactions with cops. But partnership with 7-11 is really inappropriate. Police encouraging children to go to a giant chain store that doesn't sell ANY real food is misguided. Let's do Operation Chill Santa Cruz style, put out a call to local business's for monetary donations and approach the Penny Ice Cream shop about having them give out small scoops. Now thats a win win. Teach our kids to shop local and give corporate giants the boot!!!!
by Santa Cruz Style
Fuck The Police. All Cops Are Bastards. Abolish The Cops.
by Robert Norse
Statutes empower and require police to arrest criminals. They do not, as far as I know, authorize using public funding to pursue an ideological agenda (whether among the young or old) to reward people for acting in ways police officials feel is "good" behavior. Snitching on poor people who sleep outside may, for example, be a form of "good" "crime prevention" behavior in someone's book. But not in mine. Setting up neighborhood watch groups to encourage fear and suspicion against homeless individuals is not a service I'd donate ice cream cones to further.

Encouraging the police to reward certain types of behaviors may look like preemptive policing and seem less harsh and punitive. The police are a closed unaccountable military-style group with their own ideology and agenda. That agenda is usually markedly more right-wing than the community they're in--whatever the attitudes of the individual officer.

It also seems misleading to me to encourage young people to believe that police officers are their friends. Police are professionally friendly to gather information and do the "job" the are told to do. This often has little to do with respecting individual rights--particularly of the less powerful. The police force has its own idea of what its job is.

Submission to their authority--however unjustified it may be in a particular instance--is another constant demand that is made. Not a healthy one in a democratic society. Particularly when backed up by the threat of lethal force.

Additionally, there is (and never has been here) any meaningful local control of police. Let police become more transparent in revealing their records, opening up their command structure, letting the public sit in on daily briefings, etc. They are, supposedly, public servants after all.

To use police terminology, police are supposed to be our "useful tools" to perform certain functions. When the tool becomes the master, things have gone awry.
by G
Clearly there are crimes and criminals that the police and sheriffs refuse to investigate.

How about treats for kids that uncover conspiracies and crimes by... Swenson? Granite? Seaside? County/City staff? Perennial policitians? Such potential...
by Sylvia
Cola Slurpee
Per 1 slurpee - Calories: 105kcal | Fat: 0.00g | Carbs: 27.00g | Protein: 0.00g

Crystal Light Slurpee
Per 1 slurpee - Calories: 45kcal | Fat: 0.00g | Carbs: 9.00g | Protein: 0.00g

http://www.fatsecret.com/calories-nutrition/7-eleven
by Stop SCPD Officer Bill Azua Abuse
800_bill_azua_santa_cruz_police.jpg
Stop Police Abuse by Reassigning SCPD Officer Bill Azua to Slurpee Duty.

Then maybe he won't cost Santa Cruz taxpayers a chunk of money for a police abuse pay off class action lawsuit for false arrests, stalking, abuse of power, harassment, racial profiling, and false detentions, etc. This officer is out of control and has numerous complaints of aggressive behavior, harassment, and creating false arrests and detainments.

Appalled that other SCPD and Sheriff go along and cover up for this Bad Cop who is a walking time bomb!
by Helms
Putt every racist cop on Slurpee Duty for the sake of the public.
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