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Houston ISD police officers stopped by Barrick Elementary School on Friday to give students hugs as part of the school’s “Hug an Officer” day.

The event was created to show appreciation for local law enforcement and to encourage positive interactions between students and police officers. Officers visited various classes, offering hugs and answering questions about police work.

The HISD Police Department has nearly 210 police officers and is the only accredited public school district police department in the nation. The department responds to more than 81,380 calls per year across 300 square miles in the Houston area.