Photo: Jamestown Police Department

JAMESTOWN, N.D. (NewsDakota.com) – Police in Jamestown are looking to “catch kids in the act” of wearing a bike helmet this summer.

While on patrol this summer, Jamestown Police Officers will be looking for kids wearing Helmets. If caught, a child may find themselves making a trip to the local Dairy Queen. The program is part of AAA’s “I Got Caught” campaign.

“We want to encourage youth to wear a helmet in hopes they develop a lifelong appreciation for safety,” said Gene LaDoucer, North Dakota spokesman for AAA-The Auto Club Group. “Program sponsors enjoy providing positive reinforcement to youth and hope parents will take the next step in modeling the desired habit of wearing helmets themselves.”

According to a recent Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study, helmets reduced overall head injuries by about 60 percent and reduced fatalities by about 73 percent. The study also found that law enforcement and other safety officials can reinforce the need to wear a helmet through positive interactions such as free or discounted helmet distribution programs and incentives for helmet use.

“As part of the campaign, as many as 12,000 North Dakota youth will be written a ‘citation’ for a free small DQ cone for wearing a helmet while biking, skateboarding or in-line skating,” the Jamestown Police Department states. “[We] hope that everyone has a safe and fun summer.”