OCSO readies for Cops N Kids Picnic

Orange County Sheriff Lane Mooney knows the importance of engaging law enforcement with the community in situations other than distress. One of his goals when entering as sheriff was to allow families with children to interact with officers in a positive manner and one such way is the annual Cops N Kids Picnic hosted by the Orange County Sheriff’s Office.

Now in its 27th year, the fun is scheduled for Friday, June 9, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Claiborne West Park (4105 North St.) in Vidor, which is actually east of Vidor on Interstate 10. The picnic is free for everyone to attend.

Kids can enjoy bounce houses, face paint, a petting zoo, free games and rides along with plenty of refreshments, hot dogs, chips, drinks, watermelon and other goodies.

“It’s an opportunity for law enforcement to get to know the children in a safe, festive environment,” said Mooney. “This program brings the citizens of Orange County together with first responders, too. It allows us to breakdown those barriers that are negatively thought of with law enforcement. Children can actually see officers one-on-one without it being a stressful situation.

“You will get a chance to really know your first responders that help protect the county. Often times we see kids in a bad situation, so this is a good chance for them to see us in a positive way.”

The sheriff’s department and multiple agencies will share information about gun safety, bullying, health and wellness to all those that come as well as see a helicopter, robots and a lot of the tools that first responders work with daily.

“It’s definitely a proactive initiative that helps promote safety along with crime prevention for children and their families. It’s effective and helps improve community relations on both sides. Communication is a big factor in our line of work.”

The annual picnic has drawn in hundreds each year.

“At the end of the day, we want the children to know that an officer is both a friend and protector,” added Mooney.

“I’ve been involved with the Cops N Kids Picnic for a very long time,” he said. “It really hits home because I started as a young deputy at the Orange County Sheriff’s Office. I was a K-9 officer earlier in my career, so I was used to putting on programs for kids, so this really means a lot to me.”

According to Mooney, this year’s event will be even more special.

The annual picnic is set to be named after the late John Badeaux, who served as a deputy for many years at the Orange County Sheriff’s Office. He passed away in 2021 due to complications from coronavirus.

“He was a great man who helped foster many careers in law enforcement,” said Mooney. “He was instrumental in taking the lead in not only the Cops N Kids Picnic, but the yearly Blue Santa Christmas toy drive for the sheriff’s office.”

For more information about the OCSO annual Cops N Kids Picnic, call (409) 883-2612.

“We hope to see a lot of people at the picnic,” said Mooney. “It’s a really important time to get to know your first responders.”

-Chad Cooper, Entertainment Editor