Local police and communities celebrate National Night Out tonight

Seeing police officers in a different light. That’s one of the hopes for National Night Out, where departments go into the neighborhoods they serve and share food, fun and ideas.

La Crosse’s police department will be having 12 separate events (listed below).

“Not only the police getting together with people in the different neighborhoods, your chance for neighbors to get together, talk about their issues in the neighborhood and hopefully help deal with them,” La Crosse police’s Kurt Weaver said.

Weaver added that although this is the 21st year the city has done the event, he has recently seen more participation from the community.

It’s an important event for police to simply let people get to know them when there’s no business to be done.

“Nobody ever calls a police officer and says, ‘Hey, I’m having a barbeque, why don’t you come over,'” Weaver said. “They call for the worst of situations.

“So this is a great way for officers to get out and meet people that they’re serving in a relaxed, must more friendly atmosphere.”

The La Crosse County Sheriff’s Office will hold its first National Night Out (Medary Town Hall, N3393 Smith Valley Rd., 5-8 p.m.), Holmen (Creek Park, 300 W. Roberts St., 5-8 p.m. with movie to follow) and La Crescent (Frank J. Kistler Memorial Park, 5-8 p.m.) will also hold events.

Here’s what the county sheriff’s office will feature:

-Bounce Houses by Big E
-Bearcat, Boat Patrol, Child IDs, Medication Drop-Off, and Seat Belt Safety Presentations by the Sheriff’s Office
-ATV Safety by the DNR
-Fire Truck and Fire Safety by the La Crosse Fire Department
-Vendor Area
-Dogs (Pet Therapy and Sheriff’s K9)
-Free Food (featuring a local celebrity Grill Master)
-Free Raffle for DOOR PRIZES! (Kids bikes, gift cards, Loggers gift basket!, Video Doorbell)

Onalaska’s police department said on Facebook it won’t be holding an event this year due to staffing shortages but will be back next year.

Here are the La Crosse locations and times:

• Copeland Park 5 – 7 p.m.
• Viterbo University (grass commons) 5–6:30 p.m.
• Elite Repeat (16th/Jackson St.) 5:30–7:30 p.m.
• 17th/Cameron Ave. (south alley) 5–8 p.m.
• Huber Homes Rec. Center 5:30–7 p.m.
• 21st/Weston and Barlow St. 5:30–8 p.m.
• 3456 & 3458 Woodbridge Ct. 5:30–8 p.m.
• 2300 Pine St. 5–7 p.m.
• Bluffview Park (28th/Jackson St.) 5–7 p.m.
• 3023 Lakota Pl. 4–7 p.m.
• Municipal Boat Harbor 5–7 p.m.
• 1214 S. 20th St. 5:30–7 p.m.