Police chief pleased for kids

Good news has come to the City of Mattawa and the very young children who live here. I was delighted to learn that the Wahluke School District has received funding to increase its Early Childhood Education & Assistance Program (ECEAP) preschool from part-day to full-day.

There is growing recognition that high quality experiences in the early years help children develop the skills they need to be ready for success in kindergarten and beyond. We also know from research that high quality preschool programs -Wahluke's ECEAP-- can greatly reduce the likelihood that at-risk kids will end up in the criminal justice system.

A Study that followed children in Chicago who attended a high quality preschool program found that they were 20 percent less likely to be arrested for a felony or be incarcerated as young adults than those who did not attend.

A similar study in Michigan found that at-risk 3- and 4-year-olds left out of a high quality preschool were 70 percent more likely to have been arrested for a violent crime by age 18 than the youngsters who attended. This is why law enforcement leaders in Grant County and across the state should support early learning.

Congratulations and thank you to the Wahluke ECEAP program for your work that not only prepares children for success in school, but can lead to safer communities in the future.

We are dedicated in the City of Mattawa to take advantage of every program that will help influence children and juveniles in building strong sustainable foundations where peer pressures are minimal.

John Turley

Mattawa Police Chief