Nearly 200 NYC Children Travel to D.C on a Field Trip With Police to Strengthen Community Ties and Trust

In an effort to build strong ties between communities and police officers, close to 200 children from the Big Apple traveled to Washington D.C on Monday, September 26 on an NYPD bus with law enforcement officials.

According to a statement from the NYPD, 189 children from Harlem and Brooklyn were brought to the National Museum of African American History in the nation’s capitol by officers from the Police Commissioner’s Liaison Unit and Community Affairs Bureau to “explore their culture and heritage.”

The children, who ranged in age from elementary students to high school students, were spotted smiling when the NYPD’s blue and white bus departed from Harlem’s 28 Precinct station house at around 6 a.m. The NYPost rode along, documenting the journey with photos and video.

Reverend Al Cohen, executive director of The Community Initiatives of NY which is a youth advocacy organization, said, “I think this opportunity to show the youth that law enforcement is there with them at any given time, wants to support their efforts, and just even take time to build relationships with them is fitting at this time.”

He continued, “Though this is something that’s not regular or frequent, this opportunity has definitely been exciting for the kids, and that’s why they’re here.”

The museum, which is located at 1400 Constitution Avenue in Washington D.C, is the largest museum dedicated to preserving and educating the public on the history of African Americans. It portrays American history from the perspective of the African American community.