Westwood Boy Donates His Halloween Treats To PD

WESTWOOD, NJ - A 4-year-old boy gave most of his hard-earned Halloween candy to Westwood police officers to thank them for what they do for the town.

Hudson Aknay dropped off candy to the department on Saturday morning, along with a note saying: "Thank you for keeping me, my family and my friends safe. I would like to share some of my Halloween treats with you."

The following morning, several officers surprised him at his family’s home to thank him for such a gracious gesture.

His father, Todd, saidfor police to take some time out to recognize Hudson “was a fantastic treat” and put a “huge smile on all our faces.” After introducing themselves and explaining why they dropped by, police gave Hudson a tour of the police car and let him play with the cruiser’s lights and siren.

Chief Michael Pontillo said the visit also put a big smile on the faces of the officers, saying it was a “nice way to say thank you to Hudson and his family.”

“It is nice to see parents raising their children and teaching them about selflessness at such a young age. Giving up your Halloween candy for a kid is a very big deal. We are humbled by Hudson’s thanks and candy offering because he is happy that we keep him and his family safe. Developing these positive contacts with the children of the community is one of the most rewarding things in this job,” the chief said.

Pontillo said small acts of kindness, such as Hudson’s, are important to police.

“It allows people to see the police officers in a different and better light,” he said. “When people think of police officers, they tend to remember getting pulled over, or someone they know getting pulled over. It reminds us of the support that we have in the community, which we are very grateful for, and reminds us of how the simplest of things that we do can leave a lasting impression. It helps us to keep our focus on the good of the community and reminds us to return those acts of kindness during the course of our duties.”