TOLEDO, Ohio — Toledo Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz touts the city's decrease in crime in 2023, and credits part of that trend to having police out in the community more, not just when something bad happens.
The Toledo Police Department hosted its annual National Night Out on Tuesday to help officers connect with the people they serve.
The event is a way for police in cities like Toledo to be more visible and get to know community members in a more informal setting.
The officers are not just chatting with people, either. They're showing skills on the basketball court and playing three-on-three with kids.
A community-focused approach by police is a goal of TPD chief Michael Troendle.
"We get to know people for who they are and they get to know us for who we are," TPD school resource officer Hanna Kynard said. "We're not just officers, we're actually human beings and they are too."
Getting officers out in more neighborhoods is a way to get people to feel more comfortable around law enforcement, Toledo resident Quintella Pope said.
"I love how they showed them all the trucks and stuff," Pope said. "Going inside, seeing things, trying on things and just enjoying themselves. My kids loved it."
The interaction in these types of settings is what will build trust, Kynard said.
"I think it's creating reassurance to the community that the police department has their back, and in return, they have our backs as well," she said. "It's creating a better environment not only for us or for them, but for the next generation to come."
It's not just seeing the officers that matters, either. For some, seeing officers who look like them that will help bridge the gap.
"A lot of people have become aware now," Toledo resident Tammy Grays said. "They see that the police are active, trying to be active and stay active with the children in the community. To keep them out of trouble."
Not only does the annual event build a partnership between the community and the police. TPD says it will make our city safer, too.