San Jose Police Department hosts 'Trust Fair' to bring together community

SAN JOSE, Calif. (KGO) -- San Jose Police Department worked to build trust with neighbors by hosting an annual resource fair.

Some officers with SJPD showed a lighter side in uniform.

On Thursday, the department hosted what it called a Trust Fair.

Several community agencies tabled outside the Seven Trees Community Center.

Captain Brian Spears said it's about building meaningful connections with residents in underserved areas.

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"Having the children accept you, the parents accept you and want to communicate, it's priceless. The more personal, not only myself, but the officers, the members of the department, the more personal they can have a conversation, there's more buy-in on both sides," Spears said.

Parents who live in the neighborhood came for different resources.

San Jose resident Lien Le brought her young daughter and seven-month-old son.

"I'm interested in the school for my kids, and I'm trying to apply for no cost for school. And I just got a flyer that says I should apply on a waitlist. Yeah, I'll do that as soon as I get home," Le said.

Yarely Moreno has lived in the neighborhood for 20 years.

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She said any time she hears of a community event she tries to attend for her daughter.

There was recent crime in the area, so she wants to be in know of what's happening.

She finds the connections to therapy to be the most helpful resource.

Second Harvest of Silicon Valley provided free food.

RotaCare Bay Area debuted their brand-new mobile clinic.

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RotaCare CEO Jatinder 'JP' Sahi said this state-of-the-art clinic on wheels is set to open next month. Equipped with two exam rooms, a bathroom, wheelchair lift and more, volunteer physicians can provide basic medical or urgent care needs.

Sahi said San Jose Rotary Club provided the funding, and it was all in partnership with Catholic Charities and Order of Malta.

Sahi said RotaCare clinics provides medical care to uninsured individuals.

"It's a trust-building fair and for us to be here and to build that trust with the community that we are a service that's available to them. We don't want anyone having any serious medical conditions and walking into the emergency room. And we'd rather them come and visit at RotaCare," Sahi said.

SJPD plans to bring the same event to a different location next year within the Franklin-McKinley School District.