Children have bonded with two Manteca Police officers that have been assigned to circulate among the 15 elementary schools in the district on a daily basis.Sam Gallego and Steve Harris retired two years ago from the force after serving about 30 years each from patrol to narcotics and SWAT. They both have more than 17 years with the emergency response rifle team and have extensive experiences with drug cases.Both are popular figures when they appear on campus. Children run up to them when they are in sight, just to say hello and to ask if they have any paper badges in their pockets to give them.Harris said Friday that the school assignments are a stark contrast to police work where he and Gallego dealt with negative situations for years that added stress to their lives compared to working with the elementary school kids and staff members who are always friendly and happy to see them.One little girl asked him from a group of three on a school playground if he was there to get someone. He replied he was only there to see that she and her friends were safe from harm.Both officers work full days – one takes Mondays and Tuesdays and the other works Thursdays and Fridays.