What was the last interaction you had with a police officer? Was it a traffic stop? An emergency situation?

Or, maybe, perhaps, it was a little smack talk before a limbo contest?

In Guilford, that may just be the case.

For the fourth year, the Guilford Police Department (GPD) is sponsoring a National Night Out (NNO) on Tuesday, Aug. 2. The event, held locally on the Town Green, is designed to provide interaction with local police in a positive and fun way.

“The event is special because it’s low stress for everyone. Officers aren’t responding to an emergency and community members aren’t in a crisis, which is often how law enforcement encounters residents, so this is a great opportunity,” said GPD Officer and School Resource Officer Scott Gingras. “We aren’t there to lay down the law. It’s kind of a getting-to-know-each-other event. Most times we are seeing people at their worst. When people call police it’s usually because something bad has happened, so, this is a way we can interact in a positive way, in a low stress environment.”

Gingras has worked with Sgt. Martina Jakober, head of the department’s Crime Prevention Unit, for the last four years to bring the event to town. He explained that the annual nation-wide event sees participation from police departments all over the country.

“We do one centralized event, but some departments hold this where they have little events in neighborhoods,” Gingras said. “This is a really great event because it’s a way for the community to interact with police in a positive environment.”

This year that positive environment will include a DJ, games, activities, and prizes, according to Gingras. “We’ll have a t-shirt cannon launching shirts,” he added.

While GPD participated in NNO for four years, the national initiative has been around since 1984, and according to the NNO organization, the inaugural event involved 2.5 million people in more than 400 communities in 23 states. In 2021, 38 million people in 16,000 communities participated in the national event. Similiarly, in Guilford, the popularity of NNO continues to grow.

“Last year we had thousands of community members, and it seems like every year it gets a little bit bigger.” Gingras said. “We did hold this through COVID and numbers weren’t that high, but last year was big and we’re hoping that this year will be bigger and better.”

The “bigger and better” event involves a lot of support from the community. According to Gingras, Park and Recreation, Youth and Family Services, the health department, and the Guilford Fire Department are all expected to participate.

“The Fire Department will be there so there will a Touch-a-Truck event, and kids can climb on the fire trucks,” Gingras said.

In addition to fire trucks, the Park and Recreation Department and Youth and Family Services have worked with the department to arrange for plenty of games for kids of all ages including a limbo contest, hoola hop contest, and sack races with members of GPD. Gingras expects the health department to participate with a vaccination clinic.

“We are also currently trying to get a vaccination clinic there and that looks like a done deal,” Gingras said, adding, “And that will be available to all.”

While the focus is on fun and community, Gingras said that the event is also a great way for residents to learn more about their local police department.

“If people have questions, like, ‘I’ve always wanted to ask a police officer this, but never found the right time or felt comfortable’ — this is the time for folks to do that,” he said. “They can come and find out more about how we function and interact with the community.”

GPD participates in National Night Out on Tuesday, Aug. 2 on the Guilford Town Green from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. A rain date is scheduled for Wednesday, Aug. 3. Local businesses or organizations interested in donating prizes or setting up a table should contact Officer Scott Gingras to reserve a free space.

“It’s a great community, family night out. And everyone is welcome, not just Guilford residents.”