Students get Halloween surprise from safety officials: "They were very excited"

Safe trick-or-treating

MILWAUKEE -- Students at Milwaukee's Messmer Saint Mary Catholic School didn’t have to go Trick-or-Treating on Halloween morning. Instead, the candy came to them.

“They were very excited," said Principal Elizabeth Fritsch. "I’m not sure the teachers told all of them, so when the officers walked in, the kids were so surprised and excited.”

Safe trick-or-treating at Messmer Saint Mary Catholic School

Members of the Milwaukee Police and Fire Departments stopped by the school to hand out bags of candy.

“The goal today is just to have fun and say thank you, and give us the opportunity to come out and say hi to the kids and check out the costumes," Officer Edward Ciano said.

Safe Trick-or-Treating at Messmer Saint Mary Catholic School

Ciano went to this school when he was a kid. He came up with this idea as a way to bring officers and firefighters closer to the youngest people they serve.

“When they’re that young age and they see us out on the streets, they may not understand why we’re out there doing what we do," Ciano explained. "This gives us an opportunity to spend a little bit of time, for them to see us in a positive light and know that we’re here to help.”

Safe Trick-or-Treating at Messmer Saint Mary Catholic School

“A lot of our families have some difficult backgrounds, and our students haven’t always seen positive aspects of the police and fire department -- and so for them to come in a bring them candy and say hi and be really friendly with them, really gives a good lens for the kids for what the officers are," said Fritsch.

Hershey’s donated all the candy and bags. Ciano said after a successful first go, he hopes to keep doing this every year.

Safe Trick-or-Treating at Messmer Saint Mary Catholic School