Hundreds of people passed through the Waterloo Regional Police Service open house on Saturday.
The free public event kicks off Police Week, which runs from May 14 to May 20, and provides the service with the chance to connect with the community.
“As we head into Police Week, our open house is an opportunity to highlight and celebrate the important role our police officers and members play in community safety and our vital relationships and partnerships with the community in this regard,” Melissa Quarrie, public information officer for WRPS said.
“The open house is a fun-filled day where families can enjoy a variety of activities and connect with our members and partners to learn about how we can all play a role in community safety.”
Rock climbing, a bouncy castle, meet and greets with officers, information booths and unit demonstrations were all part of the activities both children and adults could take part in.
Aside from a fun family outing, the open house also plays a role in potential recruiting efforts for the WRPS.
“There’s a short term recruiting process with your police foundations and criminology students,” Staff Sergeant Matt Halliday said.
“But then there’s your long term community connections to show that police are people of trust and someone they can relate to and potentially work for. There’s a short term and long term game.”
The WRPS introduced 13 new officers on Thursday at a badging ceremony at Monsignor Doyle Catholic Secondary School in Cambridge.
