The College Station Police Department, or CSPD, hosted its first Cops & Goblins event on Tuesday, Oct. 30, a spooky Halloween celebration bringing the community together for a night of fun and safety.
The event offered face painting, bouncy houses, arts and crafts, music and a chance to meet the Police and Fire departments. Public Information Officer at CSPD David Simmons said the event was an opportunity for children to meet the first responders and to build relationships with the people who serve their community.
With Cops & Goblins serving as the Police Department’s first event of the fall season, they wanted to ensure the community was able to enjoy being outside safely and have a good time while celebrating Halloween even with the sudden drop in temperature, Officer Simmons said.
“Just by the turn out with this right now with the rain and the cold, everyone is still showing up,” Officer Simmons said. “It means we got the support of the community, that we will keep this going.”
The CSPD worked with local vendors and partnered with Raging Bull Street Tacos for food, Officer Simmons said.
“Our chief wanted to do a fall or Halloween-type event for the community,” Officer Simmons said. “We pulled strings together, got a couple of bouncy houses, the fire department came out.”
Assistant Fire Chief Robert Mumford with the College Station Fire Department was another first responder attending Cops & Goblins in support of the police department’s event, helping out with the trunk-or-treat and other festivities.
“With our brothers and sisters in blue, we are out here enjoying the festivities,” Mumford said. “We have one of our fire department vehicles here handing out candies and fire helmets, as well as our fire safety house present so the kids can walk through and learn about fire safety.”
Building a connection with the kids and teaching them about safety while still enjoying the Halloween festivities, is what the event is really here for, Mumford said.
“Kids can come and enjoy the evening before it gets dark,” Mumford said. “[They can] enjoy the public safety events and learn about the police and safety in general.”
The opportunity to raise awareness of public safety while fostering a relationship with the community has made a lasting impression on College Station, Mumford said.
“This is a great turnout this evening, even with the weather being a little chilly,” Mumford said. “The kids seem to enjoy having a great time, with a safe environment, an area right in front of the Police Department where the kids don’t need to be crossing any roads.”
Riana Katy, a mother of one who lives in College Station, came to Cops & Goblins after finding out about it on Facebook, as it was a safe environment for her child, Katy said.
“My son has autism so it is nice to actually have something I can take him to,” Katy said. “It’s off the roads, he can have some candy, or even get on the bouncy house if he wants too.”
