Hundreds of residents helped kick off Police Week with a free Family Fun Day event, held at the Children’s Safety Village of Brant, on Saturday, May 9, 2026.
This year’s Police Week is running from May 10 to May 16, and with the underlying theme of “Protecting Ontario Through Service,” police stations across the province have been highlighting community partnership and the diverse roles within policing.
During the event, visiting families had the chance to meet with local law enforcement members from the Brantford Police Service, including the Emergency Response Team, bylaw, auxiliary and K-9 units, as well as the Ontario Provincial Police and Six Nations Police Service.
In keeping with the week’s theme, there were several other police and enforcement agencies also present including the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Canada Border Services, CN Rail Police, the Grand River Conservation Authority and the Ministry of Transportation.
The Child Passenger Safety Technicians (CPSTs) and Teaching Intelligent Choices to Kids (T.I.C.K.) were also on-site educating the community.
Kathryn Gratton, Elementary School Resource Coordinator for the Brantford Police, said it was nice to have the different groups all together at one event.
“I believe every community partner and group that we asked to come has shown up today,” she said. “It’s great because it allows people to see all the different aspects of policing, that there isn’t just one law enforcement agency doing everything.”
Throughout the morning and into the afternoon, youngsters spent their time checking out and trying on police gear, learning new safety tips and exploring the different police vehicles.
From OPP cruisers to ATVs, motorcycles and even the BPS Gurkha armored patrol vehicle, there were plenty of opportunities to honk a horn, set off a siren, or snap a photo. Many also craned their necks to see the remotely piloted aircraft system (RPAS) in action.
“There’s a lot of benefits to this event; not only is the Safety Village such an amazing spot, but the kids get to interact with the police and see the different roles that officers play in the community,” said Gratton. “Most importantly, they get to see that police officers are regular people that are there to help if they need it. We really enjoy this day because the officers love getting to interact with the public in such a positive way. Plus, the kids really enjoy getting to sit in a police car or climb through the Gurkha, it’s a huge hit.”
A hot dog lunch, snacks and drinks were also provided throughout the afternoon, and the children were quick to line up to have their face painted by Colour Pop Face Painting, or hold a snack with Jungle Jamz Traveling Reptile Show.
Another exciting part of the event included a canine demonstration with BPS Constables Adam Fisher and Paul Wiacek with their Police Service Dogs. The two were able to show the crowd the various commands and skills the dogs learn throughout their career.
Rujuta and Jonathan Craig, who brought their two sons, Carter and Max, to the event, said this was their third year attending the Family Fun Day.
“We love it, the boys are all dressed up and they’re really looking forward to seeing the jail,” said Rujuta with a laugh. “They’ve been waiting all day for it.”
The parents said that the event is a great opportunity to interact with law enforcement in a light-hearted setting, and for the children to see that officers are people too.
“I think it helps people, and especially kids, be more comfortable with the police and different community helpers, and that’s huge,” said Rujuta. “I think sometimes a cop in a uniform can be intimidating, especially with what you see in the media, but this is a good chance to see what tools they use and to interact with them.
“It’s nice too because it shows a lot of the different career paths within the law enforcement profession,” added Jonathan. “It feels like there are a lot more services here this year.”
Gratton later said she was overall happy to see the community out and enjoying the free event.
“It’s a beautiful day and the turnout has been really, really good for us,” she said. “We’ve gotten a lot of positive feedback from the community and we’ve seen a lot of smiling faces and that’s exactly what we like to see. This is what it’s all about.”
Kimberly De Jong’s reporting is funded by the Canadian government through its Local Journalism Initiative.The funding allows her to report rural and agricultural stories from Blandford-Blenheim and Brant County. Reach her at kimberly.dejong@brantbeacon.ca.
