Passersby may have thought the Floral Park Police Department made dozens of tiny new hires on Saturday, Nov. 1, as children dressed in uniform for the department’s sixth annual Halloween event. Young participants climbed into police cars and petted horses under the supervision of mounted Nassau County officers as festive music played. Young toddlers danced as adults enjoyed coffee and doughnut holes.
Officer Kelly Murphy, also a school resource officer, gave out candy and chatted with kids and parents as they approached a table full of Halloween-themed treats. She posed for photos with several children, including some she had taught about Halloween safety just a few days prior.
“I get to tell the kids about safety before Halloween, and then we throw this event just to get the kids excited to come down to the police station and see some police officers,” Murphy said.
The event has grown greatly over the years, according to Sgt. Matt Viscusi, also a school resource officer.
“The first year we maybe had a handful of kids. The word has gotten out, I think, thanks to social media and word of mouth,” Viscusi said. “And as you can see, it’s only 15 minutes in, and we have about 50 people here.”
He said it is meaningful to see children dressed as police officers.
“The past few years haven’t been easy for the police department, but we do it for the right reasons, and to see people look up to us is pretty special,” Viscusi said.
Police dispatcher Meghan Clark said she and her husband brought their children to the event to show support for local law enforcement.
“They do so much for our community, so it’s nice to go and meet some of the officers and show the kids that they’re here to help,” she said.
She said the event is “wonderful” for children.
“They love the horses. It’s a lot of fun,” she said. “And the kids like to go into the police station and look around. They get a lot of treats from them.”
Attendee Katherine Kouboulas brought her two children after finding the event through social media. She said her son, Connor, loves to see police officers.
“So I thought, why not?” she said. “A cute little event a day after Halloween. Get another wear out of the costume, you know?”
Kouboulas said she moved to Floral Park from Queens about two years ago.
“I love to see how everybody is just so involved in the community here,” she said. “It’s beautiful.”
