21 Apr 2017
Taking the bait and luring the local kids
What better way to spend a day of the holidays than going fishing with the local constabulary. This week sixteen students from Tea Gardens, Karuah and Stroud Public School took up the task of catching more fish than the police in the inaugural challenge. The kids succeeded in the encounter with Tyler Rodgers of Tea Gardens Public School catching a flathead. Tyler was happy with his catch but was more than happy to return the flathead back home. A Tea Gardens Public School supporter also pulled in a brim extending the lead. But the number of fish caught was not the main focus; at the core of the initiative is the building of positive relationships between the police and local students early in life. Joining the students for the day were police from Karuah, Stroud and Tea Gardens. The police spent a significant amount of their time assisting the students with baiting up and casting out. Karuah Police Constable Trent Moffat also showed off his skill at sculpting numerous sea based creatures in the sand much to the delight of the kids.
The day was capped off with a BBQ lunch cooked by the boys in blue on location with Senior Constable Brad Smith from Stroud Police station happy to cook up a storm. On the menu were sausage sandwiches and also pipis for those who were a little more adventurous.
Senior Constable Dave Coyle from Tea Gardens Police was thrilled with the success of this fishing event and the close connections built with students within the local community.
"Cops v kids fishing challenge was an idea between principal, Mark Clemson and myself to have a day with the kids. I try and work closely with the school through visits and coaching football and this was just another avenue to get together. We were blessed with great weather and a great bunch of kids."
"If you have heard that the kids won the day by ‘out fishing' us, I have no comment. But seriously it was day that I hope the kids enjoyed. Days like this don't just happen. I would need to thank Brad from Stroud Police and Trent from Karuah Police and the crew from Marlin bait and tackle Tea Gardens for helping on the day."
Senior Constable Coyle will be back at Tea Gardens Public School assisting with the coaching of the school rugby league team as they prepare to take on other local schools in the Knights Knockout on Thursday 4 May, a role that he has undertaken annually for many years.