Five-year-old Harlee Hansen already knows what she wants to be when she grows up – a police officer. Having just moved into the city from Texas, her father, Shad Hansen, decided to take her to the Federal Way Police Department to meet an officer in their new community.

Not only was Harlee able to talk with Officer Thaddeus Hodge for several minutes; he made her the first recipient of a positive ticket as part of the new Positive Ticket program.

On Tuesday, the City Council unanimously approved the new program to begin through the Federal Way Police Department.

The program intends to foster a trusting relationship between police and the youth in the community by rewarding good behavior. Officers will be presented with more opportunities to be able to talk with kids face-to-face through the program, something that Hodge has already put into practice.

Police Chief Andy Hwang decided to look into starting the program after hearing about it at a seminar. Originally, the program was started by retired Royal Canadian Mounted Police Superintendent Ward Clapham in British Columbia.

“The concept is police officers catching kids doing something good and then rewarding them with a positive ticket,” Deputy Chief Steve Neal said during the presentation to council members at Tuesday’s meeting. “What we want to do is take existing paradigms between police officers and our youth and replace those that might not be all positive with positive ones.”

Some of the examples given for good behavior that could be rewarded were riding a bicycle with a helmet on, wearing a seat belt during a traffic stop or enjoying a good game of basketball.

Citizens will also be able to nominate kids they find exhibiting the good behavior that fits the police department’s criteria.

The tickets officers will hand out have been provided through Wild Waves, The Commons Mall, Century Theaters, the Federal Way Community Center and Pattison’s West Skating Center.

“What we’re looking for is stakeholders who really want to invest in social profit and not necessarily financial gain,” said Neal. “We really believe that the youth in our society are the greatest profit we can get.”

Tickets will provide those who receive them with a free pass to activities like going to a movie, a skating session or a day at Wild Waves.

According to the city of Federal Way press release, the police department is hoping to bring in more local businesses to the program. Food and physical activity opportunities are primarily what they are looking for.

Neal said that as the program grows, there may be opportunities for community members to become a part of the committee handling the program. For now, members of the police department will head the program.

Multiple council members expressed their support of the new program at the meeting.

“I love it, it’s a very positive move in the right directing and I’m sure it will be much appreciated in the community,” said Councilwoman Kelly Maloney.

Councilwoman Lydia Assefa-Dawson also praised the program and inquired about whether or not it would be possible for the program to expand to adults. Neal said currently the program will just be tailored to youth, but as the program grows, that could change.

“I really love this program,” Councilman Mark Koppang said. “I think it represents some innovative forward thinking on the part of the police department to really improve the relations within the community, especially between the police and the youth.”

The Federal Way Police Department already has approximately 1,000 tickets ready for the launch of the program.

For more information on the program, emails can be sent to PositiveTickets@cityoffederalway.com.