This summer, Escondido police officers will be dispensing well-deserved Slurpee® justice to good kids in our community. For the 23rd year, 7-Eleven® is working with law enforcement to distribute free Slurpee® drink coupons to youth through its popular Operation Chill community service program.
During 2018, 7-Eleven will issue up to 1.4 million Slurpee coupons to almost 1,100 law enforcement agencies; approximately 1,000 of those coupons will be distributed in Escondido.
“We have been giving away Operation Chill coupons for many years now”, said Escondido Chief of Police, Craig Carter. “The coupons are a great way for our officers to interact with Escondido’s youth, which in-turn builds stronger relationships within the community.” Chief Carter added, “Plus, our officers are almost as excited to give the Slurpee coupons as the kids are to receive them.”
Appropriate “offenses” that could result in an officer issuing a Slurpee “ticket” include helping another person, performing good deeds, or participation in a community or police sponsored event. The typical “sentence” for committing said offenses is visiting a local 7-Eleven, and redeeming the coupon for a cold Slurpee, something that will be surely refreshing on those warm Escondido summer days.
Begun in Philadelphia to give law enforcement officers a positive reason to interact with children and teens, Operation Chill has expanded to cities across the country. Since the program’s inception in 1995, almost 21 million Operation Chill coupons have been distributed to hundreds of law enforcement agencies across the country. “Year after year, Operation Chill is our most popular community service program,” said Mark Stinde, vice president of asset protection for 7-Eleven. “Kids love Slurpee drinks, and police officers love having a reason to approach kids and surprise them with a Slurpee coupon as a reward for doing something good. And we, at 7-Eleven, love helping them make those important connections in the community.”
