With Easter almost here, the Kentucky State Police is hoping everyone will include a Trooper Teddy Bear in their Easter baskets.
The Trooper Bears went on sale Monday and will sell for $14.99 (plus shipping) through April 4, with all proceeds from the sales benefiting the Trooper Teddy Project. To avoid a shipping fee, citizens have the option to pick up their bear at any KSP Post location.
The Trooper Teddy Project provides teddy bears to children in traumatic situations such as car crashes, exposure to drugs, or domestic abuse cases which frequently result in the arrest of a parent.
KSP Spokesman Sergeant Billy Gregory says the Trooper Teddy Project is designed to develop trust between officers and children.
“Often times, we are meeting these children on their worst day,” says Gregory. “Whether they are scared or nervous from the circumstance they are dealing with, the bear seems to immediately resonate with them. That connection builds trust and opens the door to communication between the child and the trooper.”
Typically, KSP sells Trooper Teddy Bears on Black Friday and Valentine's Day to raise money for the project. Sgt. Gregory says that since the agency's Valentine's Day sale was delayed this year, they decided to hold their first-ever Easter sale.
Gregory emphasized that the program does not utilize state dollars and relies solely on donations and the sale of bears to sustain it.
Those interested in purchasing a bear or making a tax-deductible donation to the project can visit https://trooperteddy.square.site/.
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