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Scranton Police s Undercover Santa program was suspended last week after community activists expressed concerns. Author: Elizabeth Worthington Updated: 5:16 PM EST December 21, 2020
SCRANTON, Pa. Something you won t see happening on the streets of Scranton this Christmas week police officers handing out vouchers to local restaurants instead of traffic tickets. It was part of the city s annual Undercover Santa program. I want to reiterate the good intentions of the program, the officers who run the program. It s something they do in other cities. It s meant with good intentions, but as we know, we need to be listening to every part of our community, said Mayor Paige Cognetti in a news conference on Friday.
Scranton police will replace the Undercover Santa program with Sidewalk Santa, the city announced Saturday.
Started four years ago, Undercover Santa featured police officers pulling over drivers for minor traffic violations, but giving out food vouchers from local restaurants instead of
tickets.
Black leaders in the community called this yearâs program insensitive and tone-deaf.
In suspending the program Thursday, Mayor Paige Gebhardt Cognetti acknowledged it did not take into account that people of color may not feel safe while being pulled over.
With about 300 vouchers left to give out, the Police Department instead will undertake a Sidewalk Santa program Tuesday.