Rick Pitino joins 'Thank You, NYPD' campaign before St John's' March Madness opener

The "Thank You, NYPD" run successful New York City is an ongoing effort to amusement appreciation for those successful blue.

The run has encouraged residents to upload videos expressing appreciation for the department. St. John’s caput manager Rick Pitino was among those who responded, thanking those helium said person helped support a harmless metropolis environment.

"I privation to springiness a sincere acknowledgment to the NYPD officers who bash specified an unthinkable occupation to support our metropolis safe," Pitino said Friday successful a video posted to Madison Square Garden’s Instagram account. "Thank you truthful much."

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FOX Sports broadcaster Gus Johnson interviews St. John's caput manager Rick Pitino aft the Red Storm defeated the Connecticut Huskies successful the Big East Conference Tournament title astatine Madison Square Garden successful New York City March 14, 2026. (Brad Penner/Imagn Images)

Pitino’s amusement of gratitude came conscionable hours earlier the Red Storm’s first-round crippled successful the men's NCAA Tournament. Fifth-seeded St. John’s faced No. 12 Northern Iowa Friday evening successful San Diego.

Later this month, arsenic portion of the campaign, Madison Square Garden volition big an exclusive performance featuring a star-studded lineup, including Cyndi Lauper, John Fogerty, rapper and New York Knicks instrumentality Fat Joe and others. St. John’s plays astir of its location games astatine Madison Square Garden.

ICONIC SPORTS VENUE MADISON SQUARE GARDEN TO HOST NYPD, STAFF AT PRIVATE CONCERT AMID 'THANK YOU' EFFORT

"Today, we announced ‘Thank You, NYPD,’ a run encouraging each New Yorkers to convey the New York City Police Department for its work to our large city!" Madison Square Garden said Wednesday successful a station connected X.

Newly commissioned New York City constabulary officers greet household members aft their constabulary cadet graduation ceremonial March 9, 2026, extracurricular Madison Square Garden successful New York City. (Andrew Lichtenstein/Corbis via Getty Images)

Uniformed constabulary officers and civilian unit members, on with their loved ones, volition beryllium invited to the backstage event, scheduled for March 28. "The Garden" besides urged New York residents to taxable idiosyncratic "thank you" videos.

Comedians Chris Distefano and Sam Morril are besides among the confirmed performers for the event.

MSG Entertainment said it volition donate the venue and screen each lawsuit costs. MSG Entertainment and MSG Sports CEO and Executive Chairman Jim Dolan said the lawsuit was not governmental but a "sincere" amusement of gratitude for the city’s constabulary department.

Madison Square Garden Sports enforcement Jim Dolan attends a crippled betwixt the Houston Rockets and the New York Knicks astatine Madison Square Garden Jan. 17, 2024, successful New York City. (Sarah Stier/Getty Images)

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"There are times successful our civilization contiguous erstwhile the dissenter’s dependable is louder than that of the majority. Such is the lawsuit with instrumentality enforcement, and, successful particular, the NYPD," Dolan said successful a statement.

"Cries of ‘defund the police’ and different antagonistic statements bash not bespeak the existent feelings of New Yorkers. If that is what our cops are proceeding and nary 1 steps up to accidental otherwise, that tin beryllium disheartening. This performance to say, ‘Thank You, NYPD’ is designed to fto our constabulary cognize that we New Yorkers need, respect and admit their effort and service."

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