May. 8, 2023 By Paul Frangipane
The NYPD’s 102nd Precinct and community council brought families out for a “Cops and Kids Block Party” in Richmond Hill on Sunday, May 7, featuring an afternoon full of activities and community building.
Children indulged with fresh cotton candy, hopped around in a bounce house, hula hooped, faced off in video games and filled 118th Street with bubbles alongside the neighborhood’s police force.
The 102nd Precinct and Community Council hosted a community block party on 118th Street in Richmond Hill on May 7, 2023.Photo by Paul Frangipane
The 102nd Precinct and Community Council hosted a community block party on 118th Street in Richmond Hill on May 7, 2023.Photo by Paul Frangipane
The 102nd Precinct and Community Council hosted a community block party on 118th Street in Richmond Hill on May 7, 2023.Photo by Paul Frangipane
With the tagline “building bridges,” the precinct’s community affairs bureau orchestrated the event with the aim of fostering a stronger relationship between the police and the community they serve.
Nick Salamone, a community affairs officer, emphasized the significance of providing the public with an alternative perspective of law enforcement.
The 102nd Precinct and Community Council hosted a community block party on 118th Street in Richmond Hill on May 7, 2023.Photo by Paul Frangipane
The 102nd Precinct and Community Council hosted a community block party on 118th Street in Richmond Hill on May 7, 2023.Photo by Paul Frangipane
“We wanted to bring the community and the police together,” Salamone said. “We wanted to give them a different outlook of who we are instead of what they see on TV.”
The city’s Department of Sanitation also attended the event, showing off a colorful truck alongside Scrappy, the department’s organics mascot promoting compositing.
The 102nd Precinct and Community Council hosted a community block party on 118th Street in Richmond Hill on May 7, 2023.Photo by Paul Frangipane
The block party marked the first of many future community events, according to Salamone.
“This community is the best,” Salamone told QNS. “They’re always helping us out. When we ask them for a little help … they’re always here for us, so it’s our way of giving back to the community.”