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Police chief unveils "Gaming with Cops" youth outreach program; rollout planned for October
Summary
Chief Brian Wright presented a new outreach program that uses video-game sessions to build relationships between officers and youth. Councilors welcomed the idea, asked about capacity and outreach, and the chief said initial sessions will be held at the Truman Street substation with grant funding and social media outreach planned.
The New London Police Department detailed a new youth outreach program called “Gaming with Cops” during the Public Safety Committee meeting, describing it as a nontraditional approach to build rapport with young people.
Police Chief Brian Wright told the committee that the department purchased gaming consoles (PS5 and Xbox) using grant funding and plans to host gaming sessions alongside other activities—basketball, homework help and mentoring—to draw young people to a safe space and encourage conversation with officers. The chief described the program as part of broader outreach that includes existing initiatives such as high‑five programs and community patrols.
Councilors asked logistical questions about capacity, location and outreach. Councilor Dice asked whether the Truman Street site still has a basketball court and how many participants could be served at once; Wright said the plan is to ensure hands‑on participation and mix gaming with other activities so multiple youth can participate simultaneously. The chief said the initial location will be the Floyd Truman substation and that the program could grow into other sites or events, including tournaments or community‑center sessions.
Councilors emphasized outreach. Councilor Muller suggested using QR codes to make signup easy for young people; Councilor Hart urged officers to invite youths they encounter during patrols. Wright said the rollout will use social media, school outreach and partner organizations, and reiterated that grant funding covered startup costs; if ongoing costs arise the department would treat the expense as money well spent.
Why it matters: Police departments nationwide have used games and other shared interests to humanize officers to young people and open informal channels of communication. Councilors uniformly praised the idea but sought clarity on capacity, outreach and translation into broader services such as homework help and mentoring.
Looking ahead: Chief Wright said the department plans to begin sessions in October, publicize dates via social media and school contacts, and evaluate expansion based on participation and community feedback.
