Over 60 children from Rockland County are participating in the Spring Valley Police Department's "Youth and Police Initiative" camping trip at Lake Tiorati this weekend.

The initiative, which has been a tradition for over a decade, aims to bridge the gap between law enforcement and youth.

Spring Valley Police Officer Andre Riobe expressed that the camping trip fosters bonding experiences between the kids and police officers.

"This is what we do every day. This is a bonding experience not only for the kids but for us. It's what we talk about in YPI as far as bridging the gap, this is probably the biggest bridge that we build through camping," says Andre Riobe, Spring Valley Police YPI.

The YPI program is also planning a trip to Mystic Seaport later this month.