Newport police hold ‘Trunk or Treat’ Halloween celebration

The Newport Beach police station parking lot looked a little different Friday night.

Instead of cars, there were robots, space cadets, skeletons, clowns, caped crusaders, winged fairy princesses, glittered butterflies, pint-sized firemen and police officers along with a jailbird.

Cleopatra was reincarnated and escorted by a mummy. Batgirl, the Incredible Hulk and Darth Vader were all there too.

Adam Novak, Jason Fernandez and Rick Lazar, from left, of the Newport Beach Fire Department make sure the candy “bedpan” stays filled during the “Trunk or Treat” Halloween event.

(Susan Hoffman)

As a way to make up for lost events during the pandemic shutdown, the Newport Beach Police Department held its first Halloween community family event, “Trunk or Treat” that included the Newport Beach Fire Department.

The Newport Beach Police Foundation sponsored the party. Newport police invited everyone to wear costumes and celebrate Halloween at the station at 870 Santa Barbara Drive, which had displays and booths with trunks decorated by CSI, SWAT, Animal Control, Dispatch and more.

Newport press information Officer Heather Rangel explained that there had been only one community event, which was last summer, held by the police department during the pandemic.

“We went from hosting Citizens’ Academy classes, Open House and all in-person activities to state mandates requiring minimal activity,” said Rangel, who is in charge of planning the Halloween party.

“This event gives us a chance to reconnect with our community in a fun way while providing a safe environment for children and their families to dress up in their favorite costumes and enjoy an evening out with us.”

The parking lot was decorated with a Candyland experience tent, featuring life-sized swirled suckers, cotton candy, jawbreakers, gumballs, candy necklaces and balloons. Dispatcher Chelsea Luitwieler gave out Tootsie Roll pops to kids.

Three-year-old police officer Austin and 1-year-old Jailbird Nolan Chaplin inside the SWAT truck.

(Susan Hoffman)

A few steps away was a treasure chest filled with chocolate coins wrapped in gold sitting in the trunk of a pirate-themed police vehicle draped in fake spider webs and skull and crossbones symbols.

There was a SWAT team truck decorated with orange foiled garland and grave markers bearing skeleton heads.

Not to be outdone, the Newport Beach Fire Department added special effects of periodic bursts of steam inside its haunted house.

At the entrance, a mannequin holding an electric saw dripping blood, sat on the ground stunned that he had just sawed his leg in half.

The emergency rescue truck with its doors open was loading a gurney carrying a skeleton dressed in a battalion chief’s coat with a foot holding the large metal bedpan filled with candy.

Dispatch officer Chelsea Luitwieler decides on a Tootsie Roll pop flavor for Hulk and his Black Cat pal.

(Susan Hoffman)

Rangel said there were around 300 kids in attendance, not including the parents and grandparents.

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