The Bethlehem Star Lodge #20 and the Bethlehem Police Department are happy to announce the police officer trading card program!

The Bethlehem Star Lodge #20 and the Bethlehem Police Department are happy to announce the police officer trading card program!

This program is designed to develop communication and interaction between members of the Police Department and young City of Bethlehem residents. This is a great opportunity for children to meet and get to know the First Responders that serve their community.

Various members of the Bethlehem Police Department will have trading cards with their name, position, and photograph on the front portion of the card.The back of each card contains a brief biographical statement. Children (grades K to 8th) are encouraged to collect all 58 trading cards by approaching Police Officers and asking for their card. The trading card program will also help familiarize our younger residents with the names and faces of our officers so that, perhaps in a time of need, it is easy for them to reach out to ask for help.

The first three kids to collect 45 trading cards and are verified by Bethlehem Star Lodge #20 will win Nintendo Switches. 

There also will be $10 gift cards for the first twenty kids to collect 30 trading cards and are verified by Bethlehem Star Lodge #20.  

Trading cards are available now and the contest will end by Friday, August 24, 2024 or until all prizes have been awarded. Participants can print out a checklist from the Bethlehem Star Lodge #20 website or they can pick up a copy of the checklist when they visit the police department while on the hunt for trading cards.

Rules

In order to collect an Officer's card, the child must be the one to speak to that officer. This does not mean the parent/guardian of the child cannot accompany the child when speaking to the officer. We encourage this. The goal of the program is to help children feel comfortable enough to approach a police officer. Due to call volume as well as scheduling issues, a child is welcome to come to the Bethlehem Police Department to collect the cards of those officers that are working and present at the department.

Here are some additional rules we ask that children abide by:

• Like and share our Facebook page, http://www.facebook.com/BPDstarlodge20, to receive credit for 1 card
• Post a picture with a card, tagging the Bethlehem Star Lodge 20 FB page and tagging the sponsor, to receive credit for 1 card
• If a child loses an officer's card, they are welcome to ask the officer for a replacement card.
• A parent cannot ask for a card for their child, if there is an issue with this and the officer can work something out with the parent to make the child more comfortable approaching the officer. That will be up to the discretion of the officer.
• No child should approach the officer if the officer is near their patrol car and the lights are activated.
• No child should approach an officer when they appear to be interacting with the public in an official capacity.
• No child should disregard their own safety because they see an officer and need their trading card. Should a child disregard their own safety or the safety of another, they will not receive a card at that time.
• Once all the cards are collected, please contact the Bethlehem Star Lodge #20 at bethlehemfopstarlodge20@gmail.com to arrange for verification of the cards for a prize. One prize per child.

 These rules are designed to protect the children as well as the officers. The officers have to be focused at all times when they are handling calls. When an officer is not working, they will not have their trading cards.

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