Fire trucks, ambulances, a tactical rescue vehicle and a Flight for Life helicopter from Clear Creek were on display in Empire as the community participated in National Night Out.
According to Clear Creek County Sheriff Matt Harris, the goal of National Night Out in Empire on August 6 was to put names with faces and exchange greetings between law enforcement officers and the community.
The baseball fields in Empire featured free hot dogs, soda and plenty of stickers, badges and other police giveaways as emergency responders were on hand to show off their people, equipment and tools.
“It’s a way for law enforcement and public safety to connect with the community, build relationships with kids, give people positive interactions with law enforcement and show them the tools of the profession,” Harris said. “You know, we’re kind of building a bridge and building a community.”
From the youngest to the oldest participants, everyone seemed to be amazed by the equipment and uniformed rescue workers. Who doesn’t love a helicopter?
“We saw the helicopter arrive and he was so excited,” said Emily Ratliff of Empire of her 5-year-old son, Griffin.
Griffin visited one booth after another, grabbing whatever he could from the “free” tables. His parents just watched him and smiled.
“You have to show real faces to police officers and meet the people they are actually supposed to serve. I think it’s about reaching out to the public, showing that we’re all human and trying to see people in situations that aren’t as stressful,” Ratliff said.
One of the top priorities on new Sheriff Harris’ agenda was community building, and he said he wanted his officers to have a presence in the community first before being deployed to emergency situations.
“When you come into contact with police, you probably know the people, you’ve probably seen them before, right?” Harris said. “We’re small enough, our department is small enough, our community is small enough, so yes, we want that first interaction to be positive.”
Georgetown Mayor Parker the Snow Dog also mingled with the crowd in his usual tie. Dog handler Dustin Schaefer said Parker supports local law enforcement and just wanted to show his support.
