A program ends, but the mission continues

Dear Weiser Community and After School Program Families, 

 I want to let you know directly that the Weiser Police Department’s After School Program will close on July 31, 2026.

 This isn’t an easy letter to write. This program has been part of who we are as a department for more than 25 years. As far as we know, it was the only police-run after-school program in the entire state of Idaho, and that’s something every officer and staff member who’s worked a shift in the program has been proud of. We didn’t just supervise kids after the bell rang. We got to know their families, helped with homework, played a lot of basketball, and built relationships that, in some cases, lasted long after kids outgrew the program.

 At its best, we had 12 to 17 kids coming through the doors on a typical school day, and summers would bring in 20 to 30 kids a day. It was a full house, and we loved it that way.

 Over the last few years that’s changed. In 2024, we averaged 11 kids a day. In 2025 it dropped to eight. So far this year, we’re averaging five. I’ve thought hard about why, and the honest answer is a good one. Families now have another option.

 The Boys and Girls Club has established a presence here in Weiser, and they are set up to do this work well, with resources and programming we were never going to be able to match on a police department budget. When I look at where our kids are going after school, more and more of them are already there. Continuing to run a program that fewer and fewer families need doesn’t serve anyone, and it takes officers away from other work this community needs from us.

 So this comes down to a simple fact, the need that created this program 25 years ago has largely been met by an organization built to do exactly that. We’re grateful for it.

 We chose July 31 as the closing date on purpose. That gives families the rest of the summer to make arrangements before the new school year starts, rather than being caught off guard in August. If your child currently attends our program I’d encourage you to reach out to the Boys and Girls Club now so you have a spot secured well before school resumes. Our staff can also help point you toward enrollment: Serene Hooper – Operations Director, Boys and Girls Club of Weiser, serene@bgcwtv.org, phone (541) 889-7979.

 To every kid who ever walked through our doors, every parent who trusted us with your children, and every officer and staff member who spent an afternoon shooting hoops or helping with math homework instead of sitting behind a desk, thank you. Twenty-five years is a long time, and this program leaves behind many good memories. I hope a few kids grew up knowing an officer as a friend first.

 We’re not going anywhere. The Weiser Police Department will keep showing up for this community in every way we can, and I’m confident the Boys and Girls Club will take great care of our kids.

 If you have questions about the closure or need help connecting with the Boys and Girls Club, please don’t hesitate to call the department directly.

 With gratitude,

Chief Troy Krahn

Weiser Police Department