The Cranston Police pulled out all the stops for a “National Night Out” event last week, creating an opportunity for people to have fun while also learning about public safety and law enforcement in the community.

The Department’s Community Outreach Division took over the parking lot of the Cranston YMCA on Park Avenue, transforming it with food trucks, information booths, police motorcycles, fire trucks and a huge bouncy house.

Started in 1984, National Night Out 2024 was officially designated as Aug. 6 this year, but many communities chose to participate on different dates, said Cranston Police Capt. Justin Dutra, head of the Community Outreach Division. The event, he said, is very much about building good relationships between police and the public, and helping people learn about the resources their police and other public safety officials can offer. It’s also about having fun.

“People can meet police and ask questions in a comfortable, relaxed atmosphere,” Dutra said. “And it’s also a great family event.” Hundreds of people filled the Y parking lot, where police officers and firefighters were readily available to talk and hand out informational materials. Many spectators stopped to admire the polished police motorcycles on display or watch demonstrations that included martial arts students as well as a show-stopping exercise by the Police Department’s K-9 Division.

The K-9 demonstration was clearly one of the highlights of the night, as Officer Nathan Bagshaw had police dog Ryken show fellow officer Shane O’Donnell (who was wearing a padded, protective suit) exactly how to take a bite out of crime.

Cranston Police Chief Col. Michael J. Winquist said National Night Out is an important annual event and he credited the Community Outreach Division for all the work officers did to make it both fun and meaningful for the public.

Editor’s Note: Barbara Polichetti is a Cranston resident, freelance writer and frequent contributor to the Cranston Herald.