The RCSD-hosted mini-festival was one of thousands held across the country
By W. Thomas Smith Jr.
Braving the wind and the rain: Moms, dads, children, grandparents, churches, local food venders, craftsmen, community outreach and service organizations and throngs of Richland County Sheriff’s Department (RCSD) deputies including Sheriff Leon Lott and several of his command staff all turned out for the annual Faith-and-Blue (aka RCSD’s Fall into Community 2026) celebration at Meadowlake Park, Saturday, Oct. 10.
The event – one of countless such mini-festivals held simultaneously nationwide – was geared toward reinforcing positive relations between communities and peace officers.
It was hardly a first for RCSD.
“The entire national concept of Faith-in-Blue ties in perfectly with our long existing and constantly developed culture of building Unity in the Community here at the Richland County Sheriff’s Department,” said Sheriff Lott who arrived early and stayed late. “We have been hosting these kinds of events among other community service and outreach programs for years and with tremendous success and fun for all.”
Lott added: “The kids love it.”
Faith and Blue was established in 2020 by MovementForward Inc. with the support of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) at the U.S. Department of Justice: The idea being that “the ties that bind officers and residents must be reinforced if we are to build neighborhoods where everyone feels safe and included,” according to Faith and Blue’s website [https://faithandblue.org/].
At Meadowlake Park in north Columbia, the event included free food, snacks, drinks, music, games, running, singing, dancing, free haircuts, and direct interaction between jubilant children, their families; and smiling, friendly law enforcement officers (many being the recognizable TV stars of On Patrol: LIVE) who were enjoying the fun as much as everybody else. Also attending were RCSD K-9s including the now-famous C.J. Crisis Intervention K-9 and a giant, walking, talking, hugging and high-fiving inflatable deputy whom kids gathered around to have their pictures taken with.
Hosted by RCSD and held in Meadowlake’s gym (because of the rain), Richland County’s Faith-and-Blue kicked off at 10:00 a.m. and lasted well into the early afternoon.
Nationally, the four-day (Oct. 9-12) Faith-and-Blue initiative reached well-over a thousand communities, 1,600 faith-based organizations, and 1,000-plus law enforcement partners across the country.
– For information about the Richland County Sheriff’s Department’s Community Services, visit – https://www.rcsd.net/community-services.
