Bensalem's police department is turning Tuesday night into a hands-on public-safety showcase, with residents invited to meet officers, explore police equipment and watch demonstrations at the township pavilion. The family-friendly event will mix community outreach with the sort of vehicles and gadgets that usually mean something far less festive is happening.
According to a public event notice from the Bensalem Police Department, National Night Out will run from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Township Pavilion, 2400 Byberry Road. The lineup includes a behind-closed-doors educational trailer, a Bensalem police K-9 demonstration, light refreshments and the Copsicle ice-cream bus.
The department's Facebook announcement also lists displays featuring a police crime-scene truck, command post, motorcycles, patrol cars, SWAT and a police drone, along with a planned Philadelphia Police helicopter flyover.
A National Night Out With A Philadelphia-Area Connection
National Night Out is held on the first Tuesday in August and is designed to build relationships between residents and law enforcement through block parties, demonstrations, exhibits and other neighborhood events, according to the National Association of Town Watch. The organization says the campaign began in the western suburbs of Philadelphia, making Bensalem's annual gathering part of a tradition with unusually local roots.
Hoodline's coverage of last year's event described a similar mix of police demonstrations, equipment displays and community interaction. This year's additions give families another reason to stop by, whether they are there for the K-9s, the helicopter or simply the rare chance to inspect a police command post without having to call one.
