Franklin County Sheriff's Office goes on 'Ice Cream Patrol' to bring joy to community

FRANKLIN COUNTY, Fla. (WTXL) — Kids in Franklin County can look forward to a cool treat this summer thanks a new ice cream truck created by the Franklin County Sheriff's Office.

Sheriff A.J. Smith says he's been wanting to do this for a long time, he was just waiting for the right opportunity.

The opportunity came in the form of an old jail fan that they restored, fitted with a freezer, and dubbed, "The Ice Cream Patrol."

Smith says he remembers the joy it brought him as a child and thinks it's a great way to connect with kids in his community.

"We hope it's a good way to connect with the kids in the community, show them what I like to call 'the sweet side,'" said Smith. "So I think it's a good way to do that because they see us in a different light, not putting people in jail and stuff like that. We'd rather give them ice cream, have a conversation with a lot of kids. And a lot of kids want to take their picture with us, which is cool."

The connection and the confections are both free of charge.