TWIN FALLS, Idaho — Since 1984, police departments have participated in this nationwide event known as National Night Out.
The aim? To have one evening where law enforcement can let down their guard, interact with the communities they patrol, and showcase some of their latest equipment.
WATCH: Twin Falls Law Enforcement brings out the big toys for National Night Out
On Tuesday night, that’s exactly what happened at Twin Falls City Park.
“Create community partnerships and allow the community to come down, see what we do, what we have with all the fun tools we use in our job, and get to know us as human beings—who we are and what we do,” said Sgt. Josh Hayes from the Twin Falls Police Department.
The Twin Falls Police Department has always had a solid track record of community outreach, usually in a job-related capacity.
An event like National Night Out allows officers to come out of their shells and interact with the community on a different level.
“It’s a huge and different mindset. We get to have a little more fun and interact with them in a different way. Obviously, when we go to them, it’s usually a bad day for them or they're having a tough time. This is fun because everybody's having a good time,” explained Sgt. Hayes.
As for the equipment they showcased? The Twin Falls police officers came ready to impress, displaying some of their biggest and best tools. From a SWAT tank to a mobile CSI lab and numerous patrol vehicles, the showstopper was the Twin Falls Regional Bomb Squad’s robot.
“Anytime we encounter a potentially dangerous situation, we use the robot instead of risking the safety of a person. The robot can go in, pick something up, and inspect it, so a human does not have to face potential harm,” said Detective Tracy Thompson from the Twin Falls Police Department.
It wasn’t just law enforcement in attendance; the firefighters were invited as well.
“How do you feel about the firefighters showing up to your event?”
Sgt. Hayes responded, “Yeah, you know, we need them too. They have a different skill set, so we invited them along as well. We'll have them here.”
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