The police helicopter will be at the Taste of Annandale

Families check out the police helicopter at the 2018 Taste of Annandale.

The police helicopter will make an appearance again at the Taste of Annandale this year, and there will also be a larger law enforcement display than we had last year, featuring vehicles from the Fairfax County Police Department, Virginia State Police, and Sheriff’s office for children to explore.

The Taste of Annandale is a community festival Oct. 5, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., on Tom Davis Drive with food, live music and dance, a pet contest, beer garden, and much more.

The law enforcement display, on the other side of Columbia Pike, is being organized by the Fairfax County Communities of Trust Committee.

The FCPD recruiting van will also be at the Taste of Annandale, with information for anyone interested in exploring a career in law enforcement. In addition, there will be information about the FCPD Police Cadet program for people age 18-20.

“The Communities of Trust Committee is trying to build a more positive relationship between the community and law enforcement,” says the committee’s chair, Shirley Ginwright, who helped found the group in 2014. “Law enforcement is part our community.”

“For some kids, the only interaction with the police is when they see someone being arrested,” Ginwright says. The Communities of Trust Committee organizes “public safety days,” where children can sit in police cars and learn about the positive aspects of law enforcement – and that the police are necessary to keep their community safe.