HYANNIS – In an effort to make neighborhoods safer and more caring places to live, police departments across Cape Cod will host National Night Out events Tuesday.
National Night Out is an annual community-building campaign that promotes police-community partnerships and neighborhood camaraderie.
Dennis Police Officer Ryan Carr said the recent shootings of police officers on Cape Cod show that building strong relationships between police and residents is essential.
“It’s really important that we get out and connect with our community, the kids, establish relationships and all work together,” Carr said.
Carr said police and residents all need to be involved to try to make communities safer.
“We are a teammate. We are not in opposition. We are not the bad guy that is going to write tickets,” he said. “We are out there to help them so they don’t have to worry as much in their homes, sending their kids to the schools and having them out playing.”
Officer Liz Tucker, also with the Dennis Police Department, believes the National Night effort is making a difference as more children are recognizing police when they patrol neighborhoods or visit schools.
“It’s kind of peeling back the layers where they can feel comfortable and have a conversation with you,” Tucker said.
“I know I’m seeing it. I know Ryan’s seeing it and I think the average officer in the street is starting to see it now.”
Dennis police will host their National Night Out event from 4 to 7 p.m. on the Village Green in Dennis Port.
The event will include hamburgers and hotdogs and activities for children, along with equipment on display from police and the Coast Guard.
Falmouth police will host a National Night Out event from 6 to 8 p.m. at the police headquarters. There will be tours of the police station, activities for children including face painting, a K-9 demonstration, dunk tank, and displays of equipment, along with free food, refreshments, candy and ice cream.
First responders including police, EMTs and firefighters will gather for an evening of fun and demonstrations at the Mashpee Police Department from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. The event includes plenty of fun for the kids including face painting, bike helmets, balloons and food and ice cream.
Yarmouth police will also host an event at Simpkins field in South Yarmouth from 5 to 8 p.m. There will be a static display of Police, Fire and Natural Resource equipment as well as other fun and exciting activities.
The Mashpee event is planned from 5:30 to 7:30 on the green between the police and fire stations. There will be a series of demonstrations, food, and line dancing with police officers.
Barnstable police and all five town fire departments will also reach out to the community on Wednesday with Kids Day. The event runs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Barnstable High School and will include SWAT and K-9 demonstrations, a helicopter, a parade through the parking lot and ice cream and hot dogs.
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