Mahtomedi School Resource Officer "Cop Kelly" works to build connections with students

MAHTOMEDI, Minn. -- It's the end of the school year at O.H. Anderson Elementary School in Mahtomedi.

But for third grader Colbie Rehn, the day is extra special.

"It was hard getting her to go to bed last night, she was super excited," explained her mother Ashely Rehn.

Colbie Rehn told WCCO as she stood outside waiting for her ride to school that she felt scared yet happy, because she won't be riding the bus. She's getting a ride to school from Cop Kelly. 

She's getting "picked up" for the best of reasons. She's being rewarded because her teacher caught her showing extra kindness to a classmate.

Her escort, Kelly Olson, is a Washington County Deputy and School Resource Officer. Olson says the job can be a bumpy road.

"In this role you wear a lot of different hats, you could be a parent for a day, a counselor for the day," Olson said. So she came up with a way to also be the good guy, called the "Cop Kelly Cares About Kindness" program.

"So when they are caught being kind, a staff member enters them into a drawing and then once a month the winner gets a ride to school in my squad car," explained Olson. 

She says this was an idea that she'd been mulling over for a couple of years, with the goal of making something that would incentivize kindness. 

As Colbie Rehn arrived at school, hundreds of kids screamed and celebrated her, chanting her name.

"It is a big deal, kids love it and they cheer and we like to celebrate kids doing the right thing here at OH," said Principal Susie Prather.

Cop Kelly says she will bringing the program back to Mahtomedi next year. She also is a guest reader in the schools, leads girls scouts and coaches softball and volleyball.