BUFFALO, N.Y. — National Night Out is about truly enhancing relationships between police and communities.
In Buffalo outside the Martha Mitchell Center, the public, primarily kids had a chance to meet with SWAT and put on police gear.
Amaril, 10, said, "It's nice to get to talk to real policeman."
Buffalo Police Chief Tommy Champion said the event is important. "It's one of the only days of the year where you see nationally people who are actually unified and celebrating their community. And you see that sort of unity that's so important to everything that we do as police officers and everything in our city and every other city to have everyone get to know each other and actually socialize with one another."
Oswaldo Mestre, executive director of citizen services for the city of Buffalo said "It should never, ever be a point in time where the first time that you'll be engaged with a police officer is when you are in distress. This is a fun time to create good relationships.
In Niagara Falls at Legends Park, Reverend Gwendolyn Walker of the Garden and Highland Community Block Club wanted to ensure police and the community gathered together.
"It's a night where it's supposed to be no crime. And also to bring the police and the community together. There's been a lot of talk, you know, we've had some incidents with some police officers, but we want to bridge that gap and we want to let people know that police are really here to serve and protect. And so I feel that this is a great opportunity to meet them."
Niagara County Sheriff Michael Filicetti spent time with the kids. "It's important to be out in the community we serve. I think you build relationships. As you can see, behind me, the horses are always a hit."
