Southold Police Department to connect community with National Night Out on Aug. 4

Head out to Tasker Park on Tuesday evening to celebrate police-community partnerships at Southold Town Police Department’s National Night Out.

National Night Out is an annual community-building campaign hosted by police departments around the country and is all about forming bonds between the public and local law enforcement.

Attendees of all ages are welcome to enjoy free food, games, a DJ, a photo booth, dunk tank and more fun from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.

The family-friendly event gives community members a chance to meet Southold’s finest, check out plenty of cool police equipment, learn about public safety and spend some time with their neighbors.

Southold Police chief Steve Grattan said the department is overflowing with volunteers — and if the weather stays in their favor, he anticipates a good turnout.

“Last year was a huge success,” the police chief said. “It’s a great opportunity for community members and the police to engage in a just a fun atmosphere.”

Just a couple of miles away, Riverhead is hosting its own National Night Out event at Riverhead Town Hall at the same time. There will be a variety of games, giveaway prizes, K9 and drone demonstrations, a free barbecue and ice cream, and of course, a special visit from McGruff the Crime Dog.

“We look forward to welcoming the Riverhead community to see what their police department has to offer, but more importantly for them to interact with our officers on a different level,” said John Morris, vice president of the Riverhead PBA. “As police officers, many times we have to meet people on some of their worst days — National Night Out gives us an opportunity to have conversations and speak to our residents on a more personal level.”