The program is known as Cops and Bobbers, and, while it’s a clever play on words, it’s also very effective according to Manitowoc County Sheriff Dan Hartwig.
During an interview on WOMT’s Be My Guest program last week, the sheriff said his department officers are able to interact with young people in a positive environment by going fishing.
“We started it last year, and the kids that were participating [their] parents were in drug court,” the Sheriff explained. “This year it kind of got expanded out to Big Brothers, Big Sister Lakeshore. For the second year now, we had much better participation.”
Hartwig also gives recognition to some area business for donating to the program.
“Master Gallery Foods, from the Sheboygan area, donated $500 in cash to help buy fishing equipment for the program,” he revealed. “We had Crossroad Community Church, this is the second year they donated the shirts for it…Subway right here in Manitowoc, on South 10th and Washington, donated 30 subs and chips out to the kids. Executive Coaches donated their services with a bus to transport everybody from Manitowoc up to a location where one of our retired Deputies has a pond.”
The sheriff added, “this was the second year of the Cops and Bobbers event and I’m sure we’re going to do it again next year.”
