POLK COUNTY, Iowa — When someone yells “Bingo!” at the weekly game inside the Norwoodville Community Center, you believe them. That is because the Sheriff is running the show.

“This is the best part of my job,” said Polk County Sheriff Kevin Schneider.

His agency is proving that community policing goes far beyond citations and crime scenes. Bingo. Summer camps- they are all part of the job.

“A lot of people think at the Sheriff’s Office, all we do is write tickets or take people to jail,” he told WHO 13’s Katie Kaplan. “That’s part of it, but we’re also a full-service agency, but we’re also out in the community.”

On this particular Summer morning, it is another jam-packed day. Sheriff Schneider and his deputies spent the day bridging the gap between the leaders of tomorrow and those who paved the way. Their first stop was at the center on the northeast side of the metro. One of hundreds of community events they will attend this year.

For the players, it is the highlight of their day, week, month, or possibly even their year.

“When I lost my husband, it was very, very hard for me to back out and do things, and they helped so much,” said Mary Pinegar, who was playing at a table full of friends.

“Are you ready?” asked Sheriff Schneider from the front of the room as he churned the rotary cage full of Bingo balls. One of his deputies relayed the question via sign language to a nearby table of players.

On this day, the competition is surprisingly fierce.

“It’s pretty competitive when you’re sitting at this table,” said player Tim McWilliams.

Prizes up for grabs include chocolate, paper products, and bags of chips.

With more than forty years in law enforcement, Sheriff Schneider said this type of experience is what makes the hard days worth it.

“We’re out in the community, developing a rapport with the citizens—young and old,” he added.

The proof of that was on display earlier that morning just across the hall of the Bingo room, as Sheriff Schneider and his deputies visited young children who were attending a Summer camp. The conversation with the next generation surrounded stranger danger, online safety, and bullying.

“I learned a whole bunch of stuff- not to do and what to do,” said 9-year-old Christian.

“Don’t let them friend request you if you don’t know them,” said 9-year-old Brinlee.

It is a small effort that Sheriff Schneider said comes full circle.

“Generations tend to stay in the area,” he added.

The Sheriff’s Office said the agency participated in more than 350 events in 2024 alone, and is on par to do it again this year, supporting a delicate balance of caring for those who built the community and guiding the ones who will one day lead it.