By JAMES BELL
Hays Post
On Aug. 1, the Hays Police Department will host the fourth annual Community Night Out from 5 to 8 p.m. at the Hays Aquatic Park as a way to show thanks to the community for their support of the department.
“We have always stressed community involvement,” said HPD Chief Don Scheibler. “It’ an opportunity for us to say thank you and an opportunity to interact with the community in a positive way.”
During the event, the department will provide hot dogs and hamburgers for the first 1,000 attendees.
Scheibler said between 800 to 1,400 people have attended previous events, which allow the community to have fun with the officers and engage with them in an informal setting.
“It gives the opportunity to see the police officers, not as guys in uniform who are enforcing the law and writing tickets, but to see officers down there in T-shirts and swimsuits,” he said.
The event allows the HPD “to give thanks to the community that supports us and give them an event where they can come down and feel appreciated and have a good time,” he said. “We have a great community that gives us a lot of support throughout the year and it’s one way to give back to them or appreciate them or recognize them for that.”
Having a good relationship with the community helps the department to serve that community, Scheibler said.
“The officers take care of the community and in our time of need the community will take care of us,” he said. “That kind of mentality, trying to be involved in all different levels has always been a priority of the Hays Police Department.”
The event is sponsored by the City of Hays, Walmart, Hays Recreation Commission, Pepsi, Heartland Building Center, Fraternal Order of Police Hays Lodge 48, Phaze 2 and Nex-Tech.
“We have numerous community partners,” Scheibler said, noting that the department is approached by local businesses and community organizations each year to continue hosting the event.
“I’m really appreciative of the of the city commission and the city manager’s office for supporting us in this venture and recognizing the importance of community police and the relationship between our citizens and the police department,” he said.
The department also funds a portion of the event.
“The community really comes together to help us do this, but there are some expenses that we pay for out of our budget,” Scheibler said.
The Community Night Out is a part of a number of community events hosted by the department through the year, including Coffee with a Cop and Cookies with a Cop, along with the department having a presence at other community events such as the March to Main and the Ellis County Fair.
“It’s a community effort, we are only as good as the community that helps us out, and we have a great community,” Dawson said.
“Building those relationships, with the young especially, those are the future of the community and they should have a positive outlook and positive view of their police department,” Scheibler said.