Yelm’s annual National Night Out event returns Aug. 5 at Yelm City Park

In efforts to strengthen the relationship between Nisqually Valley area residents and the Yelm Police Department, the City of Yelm will host its annual National Night Out event from 4 to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 5, at Yelm City Park.

According to Line Roy, the City of Yelm’s communications and recreation coordinator, the annual National Night Out is a community-building campaign to promote police and community partnerships, along with neighborhood camaraderie, in order to make Yelm a safer, more caring place to live.

“Any time that our officers can engage with our community in super positive ways just helps bolster our community spirit and bolster the fact that our officers are here,” Roy said. “They want to get to know the citizens, and they want to have positive interactions with the community all the time. They want the community to know they’re there and that they’re here to help. It’s a great opportunity for our officers and a great opportunity for our community to get to know them.”

The event is in conjunction with the National Night Out program across the United States, where on the first Tuesday of each August, local police departments interact with citizens and attempt to establish and create positive interactions and relationships.

“It started as a way for small communities to get to know their police officers that support their jurisdictions,” Roy said. “It grew into this national event, and with Yelm Police Department, we will do this event for the whole city rather than small neighborhoods. We want to get to know everyone in the community and allow them to get to know all of the officers who serve Yelm.”

Roy added that she expects there to be a fun lineup of free activities for participants to engage in, such as various inflatables and games.

“Like years in the past, we’re looking to do some similar events and activities like the K-9 demonstration and touch-a-truck. We’ll have the officers engaging with the kids in different ways,” she said. “The dunk tank, which is always a fan favorite, will return.”

Attendees will have a new way to engage with officers in a fun and competitive manner, as Roy and National Night Out will introduce the “sprinkle sprint” race between attendees and Yelm Police Officers.

“Kiddos will be able to race against the officers for a donut incentive,” Roy said. “It should be awesome.”

Thanks to coordination and collaboration of several local businesses, National Night Out will also present free hot dogs, root beer floats and snow cones to those in attendance.

“We have incredible support for National Night Out,” Roy said. “Steele Barrel does the grilling for us. Kona Ice of Yelm is there making the snow cones. Tim’s Pharmacy does the root beer floats, and Grocery Outlet provides all of the hot dogs and hot dog buns for us. Safeway, this year, is sponsoring our sprinkle sprint with the donuts. It’s great coordination.

“Come on down on Aug. 5 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. and meet the local officers, and also officers from local, partnering jurisdictions. We’re working on having TCSO out there, the Roy Police Department, SWAT — some different partners.”