This year’s National Night Out is Tuesday, Aug. 6 from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Fort Dodge city square, just outside the Fort Dodge Public Library.

Fort Dodge Police Officer Joelyn Johnson, who serves as the department’s school and community resource officer, said her department teams up with others to help combat crime in the community.

Each department will have its own booth as well as games and prizes for children.

“There’s also going to be food,” she said. “We’ve got the (Webster County) Pork Producers coming, grilling pork patties. And we have the Dariette coming and giving away ice cream, first-come, first-served.”

-Messenger file photo by Hans Madsen
Katie Deal, of Fort Dodge, along with Spencer Lara, 3, and Max Lara, 6, pose with Cellphone Sally during the National Night Out event in Snell-Crawford Park in August 2017. Webster County dispatcher Cierra Janicek is inside the costume.

This is the second year National Night Out has been held in the city square.

Johnson said organizers were happy with that location.

“It seemed like it was centrally-located and easily accessible,” she said. “And plenty of room for everything without being too much space.”

She added the area is well-maintained and the gazebo is presentable.

“It’s a very attractive place to hold an event like this,” she said.

-Messenger file photo by Hans Madsen
Coy Gruenberg, 3, of Fort Dodge, attended the National Night Out event August 2017 in Snell-Crawford Park complete with cowboy hat and a costume police uniform shirt.

National Night Out, according to Johnson, is a nationwide event that’s always hosted on the first Tuesday in August. It’s meant to promote community partnerships between law enforcement and the community with the goal of stopping crime.

Other community groups participating include Webster County Crime Stoppers, Neighborhood Watch, Fort Dodge/Webster County Citizens Academy and Business Watch.

Police Capt. Ryan Gruenberg added that the event has been successful the last few years.

“It just gives our officers and the public a different perspective on everything we both do in the community,” he said. “We love partnering with the agencies around us because a lot of members of the community and, quite frankly, officers alike don’t get to interact with a lot of the local agencies a lot, depending on the situation.”