KALAMAZOO, Mich. — A community block party event Friday night allowed kids in the neighborhood to get to know their police officers in a different way.
Kalamazoo Public Safety officers were helping out at the Edison neighborhood block party in Kalamazoo; one of four neighborhoods hosting them thanks to a special grant.
Friday night's event comes just three days after National Night Out where residents got to come out and get to know their city officials. This block party was a special night for some kids in Kalamazoo, not only getting to play some games and win prizes, but they got to do it side by side with their neighborhood police officers.
"The police officers gave me a whole bunch of tickets," said Zhania King.
"Yeah the police are really nice and cool," said Zhane King.
The King sisters were among dozens of other kids getting to spend their Friday night with some men in blue.
"It's really just an opportunity to build relationships with the kids in the community," said John Resseguie, community policing officer from Kalamazoo Public Safety. "It's also really good for the officers because we get to have that positive interaction with the community members in a different setting than what we're used to."
Resseguie patrols the Edison neighborhood ever day, but he let the kids see a different side to the man behind the badge Friday night.
"It really helps people in the community realize that we're people, the officers are people," said Resseguie. "They have families and they're approachable and you can talk to them. They have a name. They're not just the guy you see drive by all of the time."
The kids were playing games, racing and trading in tickets with the police who were showing off their less serious side.
"Usually they'll be more serious, but now it's like they're having more fun with the kids," said Kelis Johnson.
"I raced that policeman right there and I won," said Bryce Johnson.
"We're lucky because other towns don't get to do stuff like this," said Aquan Foster.
Thanks to a grant from the Gilmore Foundation, four neighborhoods in Kalamazoo are hosting block parties this summer.
"Kalamazoo is a really supportive community," said Resseguie. "We have some issues every now and again, but overall the vast majority of our citizens are incredibly supportive of the job we do."
