Church collecting fidget toys and plushies for Bismarck PD

BISMARCK, N.D. (KFYR) - The Bismarck Police Department is accepting donations of plushies and fidget toys so officers can give them to children in traumatic situations.

Pastor Cory Thrall at Legacy United Methodist Church said it’s one of their special fundraisers this month. For example, if a child’s mother or father is being arrested, officers can give a toy to them to help ground them during a stressful situation.

“Police officers, when they have to interact with the children, it really helps in the situation to calm them down. If the police have to interact with children, it’s because there’s trauma,” Thrall said.

Healthcare professionals agree; it’s a good way to help children who are going through a tough time, and can help kids understand the police are there to help them, not hurt them.

“They can develop sort of a negative association with law enforcement. You know, we’re told these are people who are supposed to be helping us, but they actually took my mom away or took my dad away. So, I can absolutely understand how that gentle, comforting ‘You’re not in trouble, you haven’t done anything wrong – we actually are here to help you. Here’s something that might help you,’ how that could shift the narrative a little bit,” said Dr. Alexandra Kohlhase, a psychologist at Essentia Health in Fargo.

Thrall said they started collecting those donations on April 1. They’ll wrap up at the end of April. Anyone can ship donations to the church or drop them off during the church’s office hours or during a church service. Thrall said they are only collecting new or nearly new toys.