By STACI JONES | Selma Times Journal

This weekend the Selma Police Department will host a fun day Saturday to get kids geared up and ready to head back to school.

The Athletic League of the Selma Police Department has led the Police Assisting with School Supplies effort since 2009.

The league will continue donating school supplies this year but will combine that with a Cops and Kids Day.

“The school systems were running out of supplies, we started by giving supplies to the schools in the first year. The years after, we’ve been giving supplies directly to the students on a first come first serve basis,” Lt. Natasha Fowlkes said.

There will be free food, games, activities, skits and inflatables at the event.

Additionally, more than 1,000 book bags with supplies will be given out to K-12 students, again on a first come, first serve basis.

Fowlkes believes that the event allows for the department and the community to come together and ultimately helps in preventing crime.

“The biggest tool to crime prevention is education,” Fowlkes said. “The supplies will give the kids a good start for the school year. The more the kids do their work, the less likely they are to be out getting in trouble.”

Officers hope combining the events and offering entertainment during the school supply giveaway will result in a large crowd at Bloch Park .

The kids will also be given the opportunity to interact with the officers in a positive environment.

“The event allows for them to interact with the police officers. We’re here to help them, not only when they get in trouble. We’re a community oriented department. We want Selma to see that,” Fowlkes said.

“We want to show the community that we care and are interested. We hope they return the support.”

If you would like to donate supplies to the event, you can do so by taking all donations to the Selma Police Department on or before Friday, July 31, 2015 at 1300 Alabama Ave.

The event will be Saturday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Bloch Park, located on 108 Dallas Avenue.