Suffolk Police Department hosts first Kids Night Out
Suffolk's new police commissioner, Kevin Catalina, is pushing a new effort called Kids Night Out that he hopes will change the way the county's children view police officers.
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The Suffolk County Police Department invited 90 kids to interact with officers at a first of its kind event called Kids Night Out.
It's a new community initiative from Suffolk's new police commissioner Kevin Catalina.
It was held at 'The Experience,' an interactive sports restaurant in Hauppauge.
Catalina tells News 12 that he hopes by interacting with the officers in a relaxed setting, Suffolk's children and teenagers will develop positive relationships with police.
"We want these young people here to look up to the police department and we want them to trust members of law enforcement," Catalina said. "And we're hoping to just build on relationships with members of the community."
Also supporting the police department's effort to engage with the community, Long Islander and Super Bowl champion Gary Brown.
"My thing is about teamwork and about always doing your best, putting your best foot forward, no matter what, what you're situation is, no matter where you come from, no matter what life dealt you um tomorrow and how you look at it is up to you," Brown said.
Catalina said the department will host a Kids Night Out event every month at The Experience for people from different communities around Suffolk.
