RRPD, New Life Bible Church join forces for balloon-watching event

RIO RANCHO — The Rio Rancho Police Department hosted the Faith & Balloons event at the New Life Bible Church Saturday.

“We are trying to promote unity and growth in the police department to get the people to know the police officers on a non-confrontational level,” said RRPD Chaplin Mark Mason, who has been with RRPD for more than 20 years.

RRPD has hosted the event at New Life Bible Church for three straight years, and the views never get old.

“Today we are participating in National Faith and Blue weekend. It’s a nationwide initiative that brings law enforcement and local churches together,” said RRPD Capt. Jacquelynn Reedy, who also serves as the public information officer (PIO) for RRPD.

Many families attended, brought lawn chairs and their pets to watch hundreds of balloons in the morning sky.

“They have been gracious enough to allow us to use their parking lot for three consecutive years, and it’s just a wonderful time to avoid the long Fiesta lines, the expensive prices, and still get a glorious view of the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta,” Reedy said.

Free coffee and donuts were available to those who attended. Many photographers came to snap photos while one family just counted balloons.

“We follow the police department on Facebook and found the event there,” Bethany Willis said. Willis attended with her whole family which included the child in her arms. “We are counting the balloons. Right now we are at 282 and trying to find any shapes that we like. We are a big fan of the colored ones, too.”