(La Porte, IN) - The La Porte County Sheriff’s Department brought National Police Week to a close by holding a public meet-and-greet at Family Express Friday morning.

 

Family Express, being a local-owned business, is the official gas station for Sheriff’s vehicles. On Friday a number of officers hung out at the location on Fail Road to meet with the public they serve—and enjoy a few donuts.

 

"I think it’s always great for us to interact with folks that we don’t see day-to-day,” said Captain Derek Allen. “We have people that call us when they’re in need or when there’s an emergency, but the kind of folks who are coming in and out of the store right now typically don’t have interaction with law enforcement.”

 

Allen said many of the locals they ran into early Friday morning were county employees on their way to work.

 

Animosity towards members of law enforcement has been at an all-time high in recent years. Luckily, said Allen, that hasn’t really been the case around here. “We’re very blessed and fortunate here in La Porte County,” he said, “because we have great community partners spread out from Lake Michigan all the way down to La Crosse. We’re very fortunate and thankful that we have such great people living here.”

 

In what they are calling “Fridays at Family Express,” members of the Sheriff’s Office will be meeting with the public at other locations throughout the summer.

 

Friday’s event was one of many public outreach efforts recently for the men and women in brown.  On Thursday officers conducted a Public Safety Day at South Central Elementary School. They also participated in career fairs at New Prairie Middle School and Springfield Elementary.