Cookeville Police Department hosting National Night Out Tuesday to build relationships between first responders and the community through a series of free family activities at Dogwood Park.
Administrative Sergeant Charlotte Austin said the event serves as a central location for residents to meet personnel from the police department, fire department, EMS, and Tennessee Highway Patrol. Austin said the initiative allows the community to interact with first responders in a positive environment.
“We just want the community to be able to put faces with the uniform and the names and get to know each other that way whenever they’re having the worst day of their life and we have to encounter them, it’s not the first time we’ve had an interaction,” Austin said.
Austin said the department revived the event last year after a 15-year hiatus and received significant positive feedback from local families. Austin said the upcoming evening will feature a touch-a-truck area with emergency vehicles, a DJ, and various raffle giveaways.
“Well, you know, if you think about when we typically would interact with somebody, it’s because something bad has usually happened to them,” Austin said. “They’ve been in a crash, they’ve lost a loved one, or, you know, it’s, it’s something really bad. And so we like to take that kind of preemptive opportunity to build those relationships with people so that when they see us coming, they know what to expect, they know who’s coming, they know that we’re going to be there to help them, and it’s not going to be as traumatic and we can kind of help them through that as a familiar face.”
Austin said the event layout includes community partner tables in the amphitheater bowl and activities behind the Cookeville History Museum. Austin said the department feels fortunate to serve a community that offers support from all walks of life.
“Well, I think if, if you can interact with a police officer, um, like if you’re throwing a football with a police officer or you’re watching the Chief of Police get dunked in a dunk tank, it kind of brings a human element to us,” Austin said. “I think sometimes people forget that we’re just humans too, and so interacting with us in a more laid-back environment, they don’t have to be afraid of getting a ticket or, you know, things like that and so it just kind of eases people’s minds and lets us have a chance to interact without that pressure.”
Austin said this year’s festivities include a 40-foot inflatable obstacle course, an inflatable basketball game, and a dunk tank featuring local figures. Austin said a school principal will participate in the dunk tank to encourage fun banter with students.
“I hope that they understand that like I said, we’re here for our entire community,” Austin said. “We love our community. We’re blessed to, to police here in Cookeville and we have a great support from, from the community and I hope that at this event, they feel just a little bit of the support that we feel all year round. I just hope that we’re able to give that back to them.”
Austin said the department intentionally made the entire event free to ensure families do not have to worry about costs during the back-to-school season. Austin said attendees will not have to pay for food, shaved ice, or raffle tickets.
“It’s all free,” Austin said. “So we really wanted to create an event that was free where people don’t have to worry, I know it’s back to school time, you know, some families may be financially strapped or having a difficult time and so everything that we’re doing on National Night Out is free to attendees. So they don’t have to worry about purchasing any of the tickets for the raffles or the food or anything like that. They can just come and have a laid-back night of fun with us.”
The event will take place at the Dogwood Park amphitheater area.