Medford police officers compete in a tug-of-war at last year’s National Night Out, an annual nationwide tradition.
For Medford Police Chief Arthur Waterman, events like National Night Out are critical for enhancing police and neighbor relations.
“It gives our residents the opportunity to get to know their officers and our officers to get to know our residents,” he said of Tuesday’s event at Freedom Park.
National Night Out is an annual event that began nationwide nearly four decades ago to promote police-community partnerships and camaraderie and make neighborhoods safer, more caring places to live. It is held on the first Tuesday in August.
Medford’s version will take place from 6 to 9 p.m. and will include first responder equipment and vehicle displays, demonstrations from the department’s K-9 unit, and Coast Guard helicopters.
There will also be music, inflatable games, a dunk tank, giveaways, an ax-throwing contest, and hot dog and tug-of-war contests.
