Chicago and Evanston police assembled Friday evening near the border between the two cities to show their strength in numbers as summer begins.

More than two dozen officers lined up for the joint roll call at about 6 p.m. in the parking lot of Popeye’s Chicken, 1959 W. Howard St.

The outdoor gathering has become a yearly tradition for the Evanston Police Department and the Chicago Police Department’s 24th District. The two forces met at the same location in June of last year to highlight their collective commitment to dealing with so-called “hot spots” of recurring crime.

Evanston police have operated an outpost at 633 W. Howard St. for nearly 12 years, while the 24th District’s headquarters is located about two miles south at 6464 N. Clark St. in Chicago’s Rogers Park neighborhood.

“This event has been conducted on an annual basis with both police agencies displaying a cooperative effort to keep the City of Evanston & the Rogers Park neighborhood safer for its’ citizens,” the city of Evanston said in a news release.

— Patrick Svitek