By Katie O’connor, Norristown, Penn. Times Herald
NORRISTOWN - Trick-or-treaters roamed borough streets Sunday night on one of the warmest Halloweens in recent memory, and if they were lucky enough, they were visited by Lt. Patty Simons of the Norristown Police Department.
As part of the police department’s community relations program, Simons had a “Trick-or-Trade” with kids in parts of the North, East and West Ends. In exchange for a piece of candy, the kids received a Kool-Aid Juice Jammer.
“Part of the reason we do this is so kids know the police are their friends and they can trust us,” Simons said. “They can come to us without having any hesitations.”
Simons drove around to different neighborhoods and met with a few princesses, Spiderman, The Cat in the Hat and even a few kids who weren’t wearing costumes but were still trick-or-treating. At first, some kids were apprehensive about giving up a KitKat or Butterfinger, and some decided they did not want to trade at all.
“I kind of felt bad,” Simons explained. “Some of these kids just started and they have nothing to trade. I just gave them juice anyway.”
In just two hours, Simons traded 160 Jammers, but she didn’t get 160 pieces of candy.
“What are you going to do,” she asked. “If the kids didn’t want to give away their candy, I can’t make them. But I can show them some kindness and let them know that the police are here for them whenever they need us.”