Days after a teenager was wounded in a shooting in Hoboken, a local organization partnered with the Hoboken Police Department to help bridge the divide between the community and law enforcement.

The event was called the Hoboken Police Pop-up. Event organizers say that the event coming on the heels of Monday’s shooting near Mama Johnson Field was purely a coincidence. They say that they hope to roll out the program this summer.

“The community needs it after things that have been going on. It’s good to have everyone come together and enjoy themselves,” says Samantha Tirado, of Hoboken.

The event was held at Harrison Gardens, just blocks away from where Monday’s shooting occurred.

“This'll help all of us get together with our community and everybody get together and do things together, the kids especially,” says Hoboken resident Dorothy Crandell.

Members of Hoboken Police Department were out in force Wednesday afternoon interacting with the community. The pop-up is a pilot program launched by Lt. Melissa Gigante that will roll out throughout the city. Harrison Gardens was its first stop for one important reason

“The relationship between the police officers and those in housing has been strained a bit for the past few years, so we’re really trying to bring that back together,” Gigante says.

Police say that shootings are not common in Hoboken and that there have been two this year.

“This was actually in the works before the pandemic and then I decided this was going to be the first spot because I felt like this was the most important spot to come in and test it out,” Gigante says.

Police are hoping to hold these pop-up events once a month this summer throughout the city.