FOLEY, Ala. — Foley Police Department arrived at Beulah Heights Park on Saturday armed with fun and good will. An inflatable water-slide and hot dogs, chips and soft drinks resulted in lots of fun for neighborhood children who participated and appreciation in adults who saw firsthand the kinds of services FPD offers the city.

“We were very happy with the participation at this one,” Cpl. Matt Cuellar said of the police expo that was held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. All of FPD’s divisions - everything from Criminal Investigations and Patrol to Animal Control and the Mounted Unit - were on hand, Cuellar said.

Cuellar, who is FPD’s Community Services officer, said since taking the newly created position in the spring it’s been a busy time with the same prospects for the future.

“This is a big part of our total community-oriented policing efforts,” Police Chief David Wilson said.

“Our Community Services Unit is in charge of scheduling the police services expo in different neighborhoods during the year. We plan on coming to a different neighborhood once a quarter on this type of activity.”

According to Wilson, the next neighborhood will probably be Aaronville, then Mills, and then white, Hispanic and “mixed” neighborhoods.

“It’s an effort to show the public what services we offer, and the main thing is to interact with the different communities so they get to know us and we get to know them. The other thing is to have fun. The kids had a blast out there,” Wilson said of Saturday’s expo.

“I know I got a lot of comments from the adults there Saturday, saying they were so happy we were doing this — that it was a great thing — so they welcomed us definitely,” Cuellar said.

FPD held a similar police services expo on July 26 at the Little Rock Baptist Church annual picnic. The first expo, billed as “The Gathering,” was held in Heritage Park on June 7.