KEARNEY, Neb. - Kearney residents and local law enforcement gathered at Harmon Park Monday night for the city’s annual "Faith and Blue" event.

The event drew one of its largest crowds in recent years, with families enjoying food, bounce houses, live music and more.

Local churches and businesses donated food and supplies in order to make the event a reality. 

"This is a national initiative that is really meant to bring our law enforcement officers closer with our community, and we do that with our faith-based partners, our churches in town. This is a great night, and it's all about building that trust, building relationships, and it starts with things like this. We're going to carry this on into the rest of the year," said Kearney Police Sergeant JC Small.

Organizers say community events like Faith and Blue are part of a broader effort to build and maintain open communication between police and local residents.

The Faith and Blue initiative began in 2020 and now includes thousands of events each year across the country.