Photos: LAPD officers bond with young cancer patients, thanks to Sunshine Kids

Makenna Dematteo made a new friend on Wednesday. Ginger’s a bloodhound — and cop.

Her new pal is a canine officer with the Los Angeles Police Department, the agency that hosted a special lunch, along with the Sunshine Kids Foundation, to benefit children battling cancer.

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Ginger, by the way, is a LAPD tracking dog. Markenna was delighted to give the working pooch a big hug. And Ginger didn’t seem to mind at all taking the morning off from sniffing out clues.

The LAPD invited children from the foundation, which coordinates hands-on experiences for kids fighting cancer, to meet members of the force and get a taste of law-enforcement life.

According to its website, Sunshine Kids, established in 1982, provides positive group activities and emotional support, free of charge, for young cancer patients across North America.  The goal: Encourage kids to have fun and celebrate life while boosting their self-esteem as they grapple with health challenges.

On Wednesday, young participants were sworn in as honorary LAPD officers and got a chance to interact with real-life cops and their equipment.

They got to climb aboard police motorcycles, meet horses that serve on equestrian teams and chat with scores of LAPD officers. Among the highlights for the kids: Climbing in for an up-close look inside a real LAPD helicopter.

Many of the officers positioned little yellow Sunshine Kids buttons next to their badges to show support for the foundation.

More information on Sunshine Kids: www.sunshinekids.org.

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