There's one more weapon to help prevent crime in South Bend: books.

Tuesday marked the beginning of the "R.E.A.C.H a Child!" program, designed to give books to children in crisis situations.

South Bend Police officers will be handing out the books in an effort to develop better relationships between the department and children. The books are all donated from area bookstores or by private donations.

While it may not create a storybook ending for kids, the program goes a long way in helping police, parents and children.

"If the police can take care of that child by calming them down, taking them to another place with a book, it makes their job easier, it relaxes the parents and to be able to do that without costing the taxpayers any money is an especially good thing," said Mark Roe, executive director of R.E.A.C.H a Child! Indiana.

The goal is that the program expands to every Indiana County.

If you have books in good condition that you'd like to donate, just click on the link below.