Cops, Candy, And Cobwebs: NYPD Transforms Park Slope Precinct Into Haunted House

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) — Step into one Brooklyn police precinct house this week and you’re likely to be greeted with cobwebs, candy, and cops in costumes.

It takes the officers at the 78th precinct two months to put their haunted house together, and this year, they say it’s better than ever.

As CBS2’s Valerie Castro reported, around every corner there is something ghoulish, ghastly, and sometimes just gross — like an unlicensed doctor removing organs.

It’s all happening in the basement of the police precinct in Park Slope at the annual haunted house.

“We’re looking to bring people in the precinct when they normally come for a negative thing, this is a positive thing that they’re coming here for Halloween,” Deputy Inspector Frank DiGiacomo said.

DiGiacomo said it’s something his officers look forward to all year long.

“We get to see kids smile. The best thing is after when they come out, we give them some candy, and they say this is one of the best haunted houses they’ve been to,” he said.

The hours spent crafting the terrifying attraction is evident everywhere you look, and the characters are all cops in costume.

“A hundred percent, so much fun. I did it last year, and I think I got the same reaction from every kid,” Officer Elizabeth Medina said.

The reactions range from super scared.

“I thought it was really scary, didn’t expect it to be like that, scared, I even broke my nail,” Shanaya Wallace said.

To not so much.

“I was scared, but I wasn’t that scared,” Kyle Leon said.

Some say they’ll stick to the kiddie room upstairs.

“Downstairs, I’m not going there,” Ila Daniels said.

The free event is something the officers hope brings the community together for a fright everyone can enjoy.

“It’s great for the neighborhood. It excites all the kids and they really do an amazing job downstairs,” Fannie Daniels said.

The house will be open to the public for free from 3 to 9 p.m. until Monday.