Organizers described this year’s gathering as the largest turnout in the event’s 15-year history. The barbecue offered a relaxed setting for residents to meet members of the Linden Police Department’s CIT program and others whose work touches mental-health awareness, community resources and public safety.
Crisis Intervention Team programs help prepare officers and partner agencies to respond thoughtfully when a person is experiencing a mental-health or behavioral-health crisis. Community events such as the barbecue are an important complement to that work: they allow residents to learn about available support before a difficult moment arises, and they create opportunities for personal connection outside an emergency call.
Captain Williams and the CIT team thanked the many people who attended and supported the gathering. The event reflected a long-running local effort to pair public safety with education, collaboration and an understanding of the resources available to Linden residents and families.
For those who attended, the day was also a reminder that strong community relationships are built in ordinary moments—over a meal, a conversation and a chance to meet the people working behind the scenes to help neighbors in need.
