LIMA — A new event held Friday in Lima sought to bring law enforcement and community members together over hot dogs and chips to help dispel the stereotype of the “big, bad cop.”
A free open house and cookout was held Friday at the Maplewood Northwood Apartments community oriented policing substation, bringing together police officers and area residents. The brainchild of Lima resident Oliver Lee, the event featured food, an appearance by the Lima Police Department’s K-9 unit and free backpacks and school supplies donated by Allen County Children Services.
The event was well received, with residents eager to participate, according to Lima Police Chief Kevin Martin.
“I got here about 20 minutes before the event was even going to start, and we already had a number of young people here to get bookbags and hot dogs with their parents,” he said. “We had people going in and out of the community police station itself to see what’s in there. We’ve had people talking with some of the organizations represented here, like Crime Victim Services.”
Also on site was job placement agency Spherion, helping parents looking for work get connected to temporary jobs in the area.
As families enjoyed the hot dogs and interacted with the police officers, the hope for organizers was that it would help put a face behind the badge.
“This is truly about coming together and binding the community together,” according to Sgt. Jason Garlock, who heads the community oriented policing program. “They’re able to talk to us and see that we’re parents, husbands, fathers, all of that, and we’re a part of this community and we care about people. I’m having kids come up to me and asking me to open up their juice boxes and their chips, and I feel like I’m right back at home with my own kids.”
Maplewood resident Patrick Smith brought his two children, age 9 and 3, to the cookout and was glad to see the positive interaction.
“This is great,” he said. “They try to give back every time school is ending or starting back up. The kids enjoy it and they get to know each other. It’s a great community thing.”
A second cookout is scheduled to take place from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Aug. 11 at the Waterford Townhomes COP station, 524 Hope St.
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