BOWLING GREEN, Ohio — There's a new partnership in Wood County that's pairing youth with local law enforcement. The goal is to mentor kids while fostering trust.
"My brother had a big brother, so I really wanted one. So my mom signed me up for the program and I got matched with Carly," little sister Joslynn Algee said.
BGSU police and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northwest Ohio (BBBSNWO) have recently teamed up for "Bigs in Blue."
It's a year-long mentorship program that pairs local kids with first responders.
Dr. Marvin Whitfield, the CEO of BBBSNWO, says this program is essential to building back the trust with law enforcement and the community.
"It will give us the opportunity to do two things simultaneously," Dr. Whitfield said. "Number one, provide kids with a positive mentor within our communities and then also start building that trust between law enforcement and the community they serve."
Joslynn and Officer Carly, as Joslynn calls her, are the first to be paired up in this program and are already on their way to being best friends.
"They asked me all these different questions about what I like to do, my personality, what my goals were to get out of this program" Officer Carly Blank at BGSU Police said. "They matched me with Joslynn and they were spot on because we get along very, very well".
So far, two officers and one dispatcher from the department have signed on to the 'Bigs in Blue' program.
BGSU Police Chief Michael Campbell says its a great opportunity to form a bond with Wood County's youth.
"At BGSU, we've really focused heavily on our community initiatives and connecting with our community" Campbell said. "I really looked at this as another opportunity to partner with Big Brothers Big Sisters and connect with our youth in the area".
Officer Carly and Joslynn say they're excited to lead the way with this partnership to show the importance of youth and law enforcement coming together.