Following in the footsteps of other Orange County police departments, officers in Buena Park soon will begin distributing their own personalized baseball-style trading cards to local children.
The cards, which debuted earlier this month in Tustin, are intended to break down barriers between children and the area police force. While Tustin used its city logo, the Buena Park police cards will incorporate the popular DARE anti-drug program logo, along with a picture of each officer.
Sixteen cards are being produced and a second set is being planned. Children who graduate from the DARE program will be given a card for their set, said Chief of Police Richard M. Tefank. They can then complete their set by going up to officers and asking them for their cards, he said.
The Buena Park Kiwanis Club donated $2,000 to the department this week to help cover the costs of printing the sets. They hope to begin distributing the trading cards during the city's annual Silverado Days celebration, which is slated to begin Oct. 17.
