Suburban law-enforcement personnel got up close and personal with area residents in a positive way Monday.
Representatives of area agencies participated in the fourth annual Faith and Blue event at Aurora Central Catholic High School parking lot in Aurora, showcasing vehicles, a drone and other gear.
Themed “Building Bridges Together,” the Aurora event was among national observances held nationwide to provide positive law enforcement engagement with residents.
Departments represented included Aurora, North Aurora, Kane County Sheriff, McHenry County Sheriff and Illinois State Police. Zelda, NAPD’s comfort dog with handler and NAPD patrol officer David Parr was an attraction.
Aurora PD officers and a social worker displayed a drone and the department’s mobile command center was open for visitors. Additionally, Illinois State Police demonstrated an accident simulator and offered child identification cards.
APD chaplains cooked hot dogs that were served with chips and bottled water by Aurora Police Academy Alumni of Aurora volunteers.
National Faith and Blue Weekend, the nation’s largest collaborative community-police initiative, builds bridges to more engaged communities. At the heart of the initiative is the reinforcement of connections between law enforcement professionals and the communities they serve. The effort aims to re-calibrate police-community relations through solutions-focused, in-person, socially distanced and/or virtual activities that are organized jointly by faith-based or other community groups and law enforcement agencies.
During the second weekend of each October, houses of worship and law enforcement agencies jointly organize activities that are designed to foster an environment of healing and reconciliation. Law-law enforcement professionals across the nation grapple with increased concerns about social justice and police reform and communities struggle with rising violence. The observance is designed to reduce tensions, address biases and create understanding that lead to safer and more inclusive communities.
MovementForward, Inc., an Atlanta-based national nonprofit that works on reconciliation, convenes National Faith and Blue Weekend.
—Al Benson