Gulfport officers kick back with community at Day in the Park event

The Gulfport Police Department did a little community policing at East North Gulfport Park Saturday.

There were some familiar faces out there by lunch time like Jeffrey Hulum III and Ward 6 Councilman R. Lee Flowers.

Events like this let people in the community interact with officers in a casual atmosphere, to get to know them better.

Hot dogs and sno-cones were served for lunch and kids made full use of the park’s splash pad.

Newly-appointed Gulfport Police Chief Adam Cooper was there to tell us more. “Any chance our officers get to get out and meet the community, especially these kids who learn that we’re not just somebody that comes in when there’s a problem, that we are people too and we really do care. They get out in the community; they want to bring all the communities together and get everybody to get to know each other. We’re not all off in these little pods, and everybody gets to know every other neighborhood around Gulfport.”

The department partnered with Extend a Hand, Help a Friend, the Boys and Girls Club, and Gulfport Leisure Services to make this possible.