It gets bigger and bigger each year.
Thousands of trick or treaters and their families collected candy at the Martin County Sheriff’s Office "Trunk or Treat" event Wednesday night.
The sheriff’s office has hosted the event five years in a row to give the community a safe option for their children to make the most of Halloween.
“We’ve raised a whole generation of kids here that look at the Martin County Sheriff’s Office as trick or treating,” said Martin County Sheriff William Snyder.
But it takes help from the community too, with nearly 60 vendors chipping in to provide all kinds of treats.
“We also have a bounce house, we have popcorn machines, Icee machines,” Snyder described.
Music, food vendors, a mini-petting zoo, face painting and all of the sheriff’s office equipment was on display.
Kids love coming each year.
“It doesn’t matter what candy I get, I just want candy,” said Zoe. “It’s fun,” said her brother, Zack.
But for parents, it’s about more than just giving their children a fun night. There are no worries about knocking on the wrong door, worrying about dark streets or traffic. All the vendors are screened.
“I feel a real responsibility to make sure these children are safe, and to that end, we have probably 25 law enforcement personnel actually working this event. So, there is no safer place in Martin County right now,” Snyder said.
That meant the Ellis family could make the most of their daughter’s first Halloween.
“We just wanted her to have a fun safe place for Halloween, first Halloween.”
Omar Rojas could continue what’s become a family tradition at the Sheriff’s Office.
“What better place to come than to a police department to hang out?”
"It’s really a phenomenal way to touch the community, to say thank you for letting us serve you and for trusting us with your children,” Snyder said.
