Santa Cruz Police reward kids with "Operation Chill"

Santa Cruz police are seeking to ticket as many children as possible this summer, and luckily, the tickets are for free slurpees, not fines.

Police teamed up with 7-Eleven stores for Operation Chill.

Officers are hoping the summer-long program changes a patrol car's reputation to be as positive as when a kid sees an ice cream truck jingling down the street.

Officers reward youngsters caught doing good things, such as helping others and wearing bike helmets, with a coupon for a small slurpee.

"It's just a nice surprise," Deputy Police Chief Steve Clark said.

Police officer Miguel Duarte gave youngster Gabriel Silva one of the coupons at a park on Tuesday.

"It makes you feel good putting a smile on their face," Duarte said.

7-Eleven stores along Mission, Ocean, Laurel and Cardiff Place are the locations where the Operation Chill coupons are being honored.