Toulouse: a leisure center supervised by the police for the children of Mirail
Since February, many activities have been offered to the children of Grand Mirail on the Daniel-Pescheur circuit in Toulouse. They are surrounded by four policemen.
“Here, we don’t get bored and they cheer us up. “Rugby ball under his arms in the yard, at the entrance to the Daniel-Pescheur circuit (Candie), in the Saudrune sector in Toulouse, Ademe, 11, is a happy holidaymaker. He is registered at the youth leisure center supervised by four police officers for 4 € per day. It is a novelty since February which is meeting with growing success. Ademe, like Yasmine, 8, and their ten comrades are only a few hundred meters from Mirail, the “republican reconquest” district where they live.
“Every morning, we pick them up with a minibus from the educational city of Grand Mirail, summarizes Myriam, police officer at the departmental directorate of public security. In the bus, it’s already the holidays. The youth leisure center aims to strengthen cohesion between the police and the population and to instil the values of citizenship and the Republic”.
Journey on the Minotaur
To do this, children aged 8 to 17 multiply the activities. “Yesterday, we took them to the technical and scientific police laboratory, there were two workshops with a threatening letter written in four inks and a fingerprint record. They left with a diploma. Successful activity, the meeting with the canine brigade and the dogs specialized in the search for explosives and narcotics. During the week, the children, divided into three teams, take part in a challenge. Football, basketball, bowling all over, archery…they compete to win points and a medal.
Cultural activities are not lacking either. “This week, they will travel on the back of Minotaurs. There is also the cinema session. Ademe has not missed a week since the creation of the center in February. He observes: “It’s better than other leisure centres. It’s not always the same activities and then it’s the police, they think about our safety. I remember a child who couldn’t ride a bike. He had no morals. Then he knew! They encourage us a lot”. The icing on the cake, every Friday noon, the group has lunch at the fast food restaurant. “It’s too good”.