The Broward County Police Benevolent Association and Coconut Creek Police Department are proud to stand with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Broward County to empower and defend potential children in need. Approximately 22 officers in Broward County, including myself, have stepped up to become mentors as part of the Broward launch of Bigs in Blue, a one-to-one mentoring program that pairs youth with police officers.
As members of law enforcement, we have a unique opportunity to empower the at-risk children served by Big Brothers Big Sisters. Not only can we help guide these young people to a place where they are fully empowered to ultimately stand tall as confident adults, but we also can build stronger bonds between law enforcement and the families and communities they serve.
The Bigs in Blue program has a particular impact. In addition to providing youth with an important role model — like all mentors in the larger Big Brothers Big Sisters program — we help kids recognize police officers are not to be feared. We’re regular individuals whose job it is to keep our community safe. I believe strongly that the long-term result of this program will be a stronger bond between law enforcement and the public, which ultimately will strengthen our communities.
I’m very grateful for the opportunity to serve in this program and thankful for the leaders who moved it forward, including the co-chairs of the Bigs in Blue initiative: State Rep. Michael Gottlieb and Keith Williams, attorney with Saul Ewing Arnstein & Lehr and board member of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Broward County.
I hope that all law enforcement agencies will embrace Bigs in Blue to empower youth while improving communities. I’d like to see Broward County lead the nation in size, breadth and impact of this important program. Right now, 3,000 kids in Florida are served by Bigs in Blue. Let’s double that number, triple it. Let’s be the best at changing the lives of the most children possible.
Rod Skirvin was elected president of the Broward County PBA in December 2018 after serving the previous six years as vice president. Prior to his law enforcement career, Skirvin received fire and EMT training from the Broward Fire Academy in 1985, and then joined the U.S. Navy in 1986, where he served until 1990. He joined the Coconut Creek Police Department in 1991 and retired as a detective in January 2018. He began his career with the BCPBA as a representative in 2001, and has been a member since 1993.
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Broward County is dedicated to creating and supporting one-to-one mentoring relationships that ignite the power and promise of youth. Its larger vision is for all youth to achieve their full potential. Visit bbbsbroward.org.
