Temple PD “Ticketing” Children with Free 7-11 Slurpee Coupons

The Temple Police Department is teaming up with 7-11 for Operation Chill to encourage kids to be safe, responsible citizens this summer.

Temple officers who spot kids doing a good deed or wearing their safety equipment while riding their bikes or skating will "ticket" them with a coupon good for one small Slurpee from area 7-11 stores.

Operation Chill started as a partnership between police in Philadelphia and 7-11 stores in 1995, and has since expanded to cities across the U.S. The program is aimed at giving officers a chance to interact with kids in a non-threatening, non-law enforcement manner and reward good citizenship and safety. The program is implemented in summer because 1) that's the perfect time for frozen treats, and 2) those are the months when cities are most likely to see an increase in loitering, shoplifting, graffiti, and unsafe behavior.

Since Operation Chill's inception, over 14 million coupons have been awarded, and 1.25 million are expected to have been handed out by the end of 2015.