Children spent a day fishing alongside Bristol Township police officers as part of a new community outreach effort designed to build relationships and trust between young people and law enforcement. The event, described as the first annual “Fishing With a Cop,” brought together local children , officers and supporters for a day on the water. While organizers are still working on the official name, one participant suggested “Cops and Bobbers.” “We want to build good relationship with community,” an officer said. Organizers said the goal is to help children see officers outside of their traditional law enforcement roles. “See us as normal people, not just police officers,” an officer said. Some of the children were fishing for the first time, while others already had experience casting a line. “I’m fishing with my friend. I caught bass. Caught a second bass a minute ago,” participant Dominic Sebastian said. The event was organized through Bristol Township’s Police Athletic League, a relatively new initiative. Support from philanthropist Gene Epstein and the Gene and Marlene Epstein Association helped make the private fishing trip possible. “We’re gonna give rods and reels, hooks, hope, lead to better path,” an organizer said. In addition to spending time with officers, children received fishing equipment and had the opportunity to learn a hobby they may not otherwise have access to. “It’s something my wife and I like to do. How can you not feel great with this, having fun,” Epstein said. Organizers said the event is about more than fishing. They hope introducing children to positive experiences at a young age will help build lasting relationships and trust. “It’s probably good. Aren’t the police supposed to do something good?” one child said. The children were allowed to keep what they caught, including some impressive fish. “The carp fish is really, really big,” one participant said. This story was originally reported for broadcast by NBC Philadelphia. AI tools helped convert the story to a digital article, and an NBC Philadelphia journalist edited the article for publication. ...read more read less