PHOTOS: Visitors Enjoy Tours, Demonstrations at Troy Police Department Open House

More than 100 adults and children visited the Tuesday afternoon to tour the building, watch demonstrations and learn about the department during its .

"We wanted to show citizens what we have, what we're doing and some of the things we're proud of," said, adding that "the kids alway seem to love the K-9 demonstrations, the vehicles and just talking to the officers."

Mayer said organizing the event has been "a group effort," though two employees – Terry Colussi and Patricia Gladsyz – were especially instrumental in putting together the open house. Every open house attendee received a bag containing either a coffee mug for adults or a frisbee and backpack for children, all paid for by drug forfeiture money.

"I like their guns, so that if a guy doesn't stop, they can say 'freeze' and make him stop," Peter Dungjen, whose father is a Troy Police officer, said as he toured a SWAT vehicle with his little sister, Georgie. "If we didn't have police, people wouldn't obey the law."

"I brought them because they're interested in police stuff," Troy resident Daniel Henry said as his two boys, Konrad and Sebastian, made their way around the displays. "They really like the SWAT vehicles."

"My favorite part about doing this is giving the citizens the ability to come in and see what we have," Officer Craig Fitzpatrick, a SWAT team member and officer for 17 years, said as he gave tours of the county's armored, tank-like black General Purpose Vehicle (GPV). "It instills confidence in them that if we had to use this stuff, we could."

In addition to the open house, the department will also host its annual Police Memorial Day and this Thursday. The Memorial Day Ceremony will begin at 10 a.m. in the circle drive at the main entrance to the Troy Police Department. 

In the event of inclement weather, the ceremony will be conducted inside the City Council Chambers. The Awards Ceremony will be held at the at 11 a.m. Thursday.