The Salina Police Department’s first annual ‘Cops & Costumes’ turned out several hundred people on Halloween evening in the police department’s parking lot.

The event, which was organized by Salina Police Officer Matthew Gawith, was inspired by others around the country and is designed to give the children something safe to do on Halloween. “There are similar events held around the country,” Chief Brad Nelson tells The Salina Post. “Officer Gawith wanted to do something like that here.”

For Gawith it was all about the kids. “I wanted something that would build rapport with the kids and give them something safe to do on Halloween,” he said. “Something that would also help these kids build a future and a trust with the police.”

The event, which featured the SWAT team’s PUMA vehicle in its own cat costume, also featured the department’s recruiter vehicle, a 2007 Ford Mustang, as well as a regular police patrol vehicle and a police motorcycle. Free candy and photo opportunities were also provided for the several hundred children that showed up for the event.

Nelson is confident that this will not be the last ‘Cops & Costumes’ event. “We’ll definitely do it again next year,” he said. “We’re already learning how to make it better.”