National Night Out is an annual community-building campaign that promotes police-community partnerships and neighborhood camaraderie to make neighborhoods across the U.S. safer and more caring places to live.
The Muscatine Police Department will again be part of the national celebration and will host Muscatine National Night Out 2024 from 6-9 p.m. Tuesday, August 6 in the grassy area at the intersection of East 5th Street and Mulberry Avenue.
“National Night Out provides the police department an opportunity to engage with the community in a stress-free environment, and, hopefully, build better relationships in the process,” Lt. Ryan Buss, organizer of the event for the Muscatine Police Department, said.
Lt. Buss noted that most individuals who enter into a law enforcement career do so to make a difference in the lives of the people in the community they serve.
“This event provides a platform for engagement with community members and to have some fun in the process,” Lt. Buss said.
Please note that as part of the festivities, Mulberry Avenue will be closed to traffic from East 4th to East 5th, and East 4th Street will be closed from Walnut Street to Mulberry Avenue from 4-10 p.m. Tuesday (Aug. 6).
Those attending the event will have the opportunity to enjoy music, bounce houses, games, and food provided by Hy-Vee. Kona ice will also be available for those wanting to cool down with a sweet treat, as will a variety of Disney characters for photo opportunities.
Other events at the National Night Out include K-9 Unit demonstrations as well as the chance to see emergency vehicles up close including the MedForce helicopter. There will also be a bike rodeo where participants can receive a new helmet and enter a raffle for a new bike.
“We encourage children to bring their bicycles and participate in the bike rodeo,” Lt. Ryan Buss, organizer of the event for Muscatine Police, said. “We have plenty of bicycle helmets to give away to participants.”
The 2023 event at Taylor Park was a huge success and most of the 2024 event will be similar. The location was changed as Muscatine Police wanted to highlight other neighborhoods of Muscatine and allow easier access to those who live in different locations. And that follows one of the goals of the National Night Out program – fostering police-community partnerships.
National Night Out enhances the relationship between neighbors and law enforcement while bringing back a true sense of community. Furthermore, it provides a great opportunity to bring police and neighbors together under positive circumstances.