Oct. 5: A free community event aimed at bridging the gap between local law enforcement and the public returns Friday for its second year.
Faith & Blue Weekend is a national movement that works to connect community members with the law enforcement agencies that serve them. The Baldwin County Faith & Blue event is Friday from 5-7pm at the County Government Annex located at 1601 N. Columbia St.
Faith & Blue was started in 2020 by MovementForward Inc. along with the US Department of Justice’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS). The idea, according to Faith & Blue’s website, was to strengthen the bonds between officers and residents in order to build neighborhoods where everyone feels safe and included. Agencies partner with local faith-based organizations, including churches and pastors, to reach a wide audience.
Milledgeville-Baldwin County joined the movement last year with the first local Faith & Blue event held at First United Methodist Church. Georgia State Patrol Post 33 Commanding Sgt. 1st Class Kevin Pope said more than 100 people attended the inaugural event. He and other organizers hope to see it grow in year two.
The Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office is hosting this year’s Faith & Blue at the Government Annex. Deputy Sgt. Shawn Tapley has led the effort for the local sheriff’s office.
“The biggest thing we want to do with this is build a bridge between us and the community, especially the young people,” Tapley told The Union-Recorder on Tuesday.
What is the best way to reach children? Bounce houses, games and free food. All will be available Friday in the attached parking lot as law enforcement officers look to interact with the younger population in a fun, relaxed atmosphere. The hope is to put law enforcement in a positive light, showing that they are there to help.
“Just because you see a police officer, it doesn’t mean something bad is going on,” Tapley said. “We’re there in all kinds of different situations.”
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All local law enforcement agencies are expected to be represented.
As well as having a bit of fun, attendees can also lend a helping hand as there will be a coat drive and food drive in aid of local Chard Wray Food Pantry at the event of Friday
Looking at the map of scheduled Faith & Blue events, Baldwin has the only one in any nearby county. There are several in Macon-Bibb, and Glascock County also has one. Host agencies celebrate Faith & Blue Weekend in different ways. Some host community events like the local, others host blood drives, and some choose to hold prayer services and tableaus. The complete database of scheduled events can be found online at faithandblue.org. Georgia had the most Faith & Blue events in the South last year with 304, according to the website.
“This is something I look forward to every year,” said Tapley, who has been in law enforcement since 2005. “I enjoy working closely with the public and people who go out of their way to help us to make this kind of event special. . It’s just a good thing. We hope we get a good turnout so people can see us on a different level. We invite everyone to come and have fun with us.”
