Beacons of Hope event: saying 'thank-you' to Calgary police for their work

A party took place Saturday to celebrate the Calgary police.

The free family event at McMahon Stadium connected Calgarians with police officers and their gear.

Patrol cars, armoured vehicles and robots were on display.

There were also demonstrations, an obstacle course for participants, music and food trucks.

The Beacons of Hope committee hosts the event to give people a fun way to interact with police officers.

"I'm not aware of another city in North America that has a grassroots celebration like this,Where there's a connection and an appreciation for the police, led by the community," said Calgary police chief Mark Neufeld.

Calgary police officer at Beacon of Hope event, Saturday at McMahon Stadium

Beacon of Hope's Jackson McDonough said there was plenty of reasons to celebrate the police.

"We have thousands of Calgarians who go to work in our community every single day to keep it safe and secure," McDonough said.

"And the most Calgary thing we can do is come out and say, "Thank-you. I appreciate you.'"

The event included a battle of the beacons – a series of competitions such as three-legged races, ending with a tug-of-war challenging the police chief.