Crafton Heights residents, police bond at community event

PITTSBURGH — Residents in Pittsburgh's Crafton Heights neighborhood got to know the officers who serve their community a little better Saturday afternoon.

The third annual Mountainview Community Fun Day comes just days after a deadly shooting in the neighborhood.

It was an opportunity for neighbors to get out and meet each other, but more importantly, also meet the officers that patrol their neighborhoods

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Organizers think it's important for the community to know the police they see daily; developing a relationship with those officers is often a step towards curbing crime.

Organizers also say these types of events show a side of the community that's not often depicted.

"It helps us to see that not everybody up here is causing problems,” said Debbie Julian, director of Hope Community Connections Center. “We're not a bunch of drug dealers up here. We're not a bunch of addicts. We're not a bunch of criminals.”

Organizers hope the event gets even bigger next year.

Cox Media Group