Positive partnership
Police, youth try new approach to getting helmets on boarders
By STACEY COLWELL
BRIDGEWATER - The Bridgewater Police Service is taking a new approach to dealing with the thorny issue of some skateboarders not wearing helmets, all because of a simple e-mail by a local youth.
Vaughn Whynot recently contacted Cst. Christine Bonnell to voice his concern about a perceived police crackdown on theskate-boarders, suggested many of them can't afford helmets, and that perhaps the department should work with them to find a solution.
"When I got the e-mail, I went out that morning and picked up one of the kids who was 18, and took him to Zellers. I bought three of them out of my own money. I just told him to show me what I needed to buy," said Cst. Bonnell.
Since that day in June, the department has given out almost a dozen helmets, most donated by Wal-Mart.
"I've had kids come up to me in the Superstore when I'm off duty and say, 'Are you the policewoman who has those helmets I've heard about?' I'll say 'yes' and tell them to come see me."
Each person who receives a helmet then signs for it, so Cst. Bonnell said those people should now have no excuse for not using one.
She said the department receives numerous public complaints about skateboarders not wearing helmets, which became a provincial law in 2003. The law carries a potential $25 fine and/or confiscation of a skateboard for up to 30 days. As well, parents may not knowingly allow their children to skateboard without helmets.
"[The police are] the ones enforcing it, so I thought maybe they could meet us halfway," said Mr. Whynot, "because all the kids in Bridgewater who skateboard think the cops are against them, but they're just doing their jobs - so you can't get mad at them - but you can discuss it with them and come up with ideas."
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Cst. Christine Bonnell of the Bridgewater Police Service and Vaughn Whynot are attempting to address community concerns about skateboarders not wearing helmets.
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The 20 year old is a member of a group which oversees the skateboard park via a subcommittee of the Bridgewater Development Association's youth action team.
"I did a little research, and I think Bridgewater is the only town in Atlantic Canada where cops are willing to provide helmets to kids who can't afford them, or to actually give them out to kids who can't afford them before just taking the legal actions they do. The kids seem a little bit happier about it, because they feel they have a little more leeway to talk to the cop about why they don't want to wear the helmet, but then agree to wear the helmet."
Still, he said there will probably remain an antagonistic relationship between the police and skateboarders over the issue.
"I think it's great that they're willing to help out rather than just slapping cuffs or fines on people, but then you will have a group of a few people who won't like it ... helmets will always be a negative thing for skateboarders, because it's kind of like the man sticking it to us, and we're individuals."
In fact, Mr. Whynot doesn't usually wear a helmet.
"And a lot of my friends don't wear them, but they know what they're doing."
He said it's different for younger kids, who he believes should wear helmets, especially when they first start skateboarding.
Still, Cst. Bonnell has encouraged him to be a good role model for the younger skaters, and to always wear his helmet.
"In every picture in a skateboard magazine, not anybody in any picture or ad has a helmet on," said Mr. Whynot.
"The only people in a skateboard magazine you'll see with a helmet on are the half-pipe guys, because they're going like 25 feet in the air. The kids' role models are these people in the magazines ... that makes it hard when the cops say you should be a good role model."
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