(Radio Iowa) – Some four dozen Iowa communities will observe National Night Out next week — with most cities holding events on Tuesday evening. Some cities will offer snacks or hold ice cream socials, while others will feature bounce houses and games along with displays of law enforcement vehicles, ambulances and fire trucks. Webster City police officer Steven Thumma is helping to organize events in that north-central Iowa community.

“National Night Out is a chance for law enforcement and first responders to interact with the community members in a positive environment,” Thumma says, “just a way to build camaraderie between the community and local first responders.”

Radio Iowa file photo

Webster City Police Chief Steve Hansen says they look forward to the evening as the Night Out is all about building relationships. “It’s an opportunity to build that trust with the community. This is an opportunity to see people — and for them to see us — outside of our normal day-to-day calls for service,” Hansen says.

“Events like this help build transparency with the police department and to visit with each other in an open platform.” The first National Night Out was held in 1984 and it’s since grown into a nationwide tradition that now includes 17-thousand communities nationwide and 38-million neighbors coming together.

The list of participating Iowa communities also includes: Altoona, Ames, Belmond, Bloomfield, Burlington, Cedar Falls, Cedar Rapids, Charles City, Cherokee, Clarion, Colfax, Coralville, Council Bluffs, Denison, Des Moines, Dubuque, Dysart, Eagle Grove, Earlham, Eldridge, Exira, Grinnell, Iowa City, Janesville, Keosauqua, Lake Mills, Lake View, Le Mars, Leon, Maquoketa, Marengo, Marshalltown, Mason City, Muscatine, Northwood, Oelwein, Red Oak, Sioux Center, Sioux City, Stacyville, Storm Lake, Stuart, Urbandale, Williamsburg and Winterset.

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