Bloomington Police Host Annual Safe Summer Nights
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – Hundreds turned out in Bloomington Wednesday night to discuss recent events with police officers.
Bloomington Police hosted their annual Safe Summer Nights event outside Valley View Elementary.
There was food, games and tours of police squad cars and mobile command centers.
While the event was already scheduled before the shooting of Philando Castile, Bloomington Police Chief Jeff Potts said it was more important than ever to strengthen relationships with the community.
"Believe me, law enforcement is definitely looking in the mirror right now to figure out how we're doing police work in Bloomington, Minnesota, as well as police departments across the country. What you can see right here is perhaps an outcome of that conversation. We feel this right here is the way you build community. You have police officers interacting with the community, when we have time, in a non-enforcement setting. And that's how we build trust and a deep connection with our community," Potts said.
The chief said the night was a positive highlight in what's been a difficult week for police officers.
All of the food was donated by local businesses and volunteers who wanted to help.
