Local mosque serves breakfast for Philadelphia police officers

A hot breakfast--served to a sea of blue.

Officers getting French toast, hash browns and fruit with a side of turkey bacon.

Ozzy Khalil with the Muslim American Society Mosque said, "We mentioned it on a Friday prayer last week and everybody's here doing it. It's one way our way of saying thank you to these officers here that protect us."

Khalil organized the special treat - getting mosque members and 800 police officers from the neighboring 25th district together under one roof. To feed them and thank them before the cops hit the streets for one of their larger events--working Philly's annual Puerto Rican day parade.

For Ozzy it's not just about extending a branch of friendship--it's about making roots between these officers and those who rely on them.

"This is the second annual and we're going to continue to do this every year that we're here.

"The mosque is not just serving breakfast. They're also serving as the District's temporary headquarters for the morning. Check it out the officers have all of their gear here so once they grab breakfast they can grab their equipment to head out and cover the parade."

District Captain Mike Cram points out, breakfast really can be the most important meal of the day sometimes.

He tells a story about the mosque's efforts last year.

"About a month after the event, an officer stopped me in court and said hey you know that's the first time I ever got fed a hot meal before I went out on an event? So it sets the tone for the whole day," Cpt. Cram said.

Building bridges between two groups who have much in common--not least the knowledge of what it's like to be defined by, even vilified for the badge you wear or the place you worship.

"It's a way to say we're not like that. One is bad but not all of us. We're here to say we're the real Muslims, the good Muslims and this is what we do in our Islam here. To communicate with our community."

"This is a good way for them to show hey people do care about you out there."