The Medicine Hat Police Service has released a collection of 30 trading cards that can be collected by members of the community as part of an 125th anniversary engagement initiative.--SUBMITTED PHOTO
The Medicine Hat Police Service has released a set of 30 trading cards called “Cop Cards” for kids and residents young at heart to collect while also engaging with the local police department.
Thirty active police and peace officers have their own cards featuring photography selected by each individual member as well as a short biography of the officer on the back side.
“We told members to be creative and do things you like,” said chief Alan Murphy. “My picture’s me on the field at the Methanex Bowl up by the Big Marble Go Centre – I’m a football fan.”
Children and members of the public are encouraged to hunt for all 30 trading cards. Cards can be obtained by approaching a police officer in public and asking for their trading card, plus officers will be actively hand them out while on duty. “Children, adults or whomever can approach a police officer and ask if they have a card, they can get a card” says chief Alan Murphy. “And this way it starts a conversation.
“It’s a real cool community engagement. I think it’s a real unique thing for a city like this and we’re very engaged here. I think it’s great for our community and they’re very supportive of us.”
On the back of each card will be a QR code that can be scanned to produce a digital version of the card.
As a reward, anyone who is able to collect the entire set of 30 “Cop Cards” will receive a reward from the Office of the Chief of Police.
“I’m gonna give them a Medicine Hat Police Service coin,” says Murphy. “It’s not just for one person, I will do that for more than one person. But you know, it won’t be easy to get the whole set. But if they do, that’s something we’re going to do as a little reward.”
Most officers have already received their batch of trading cards and are ready to start handing them out to local card collectors in the Hat.
