‘We’re human too’

QUINCY — The kids who came to Lauzier Park Monday evening for National Night Out knew what they wanted. 

“Mostly candy. They come up, they take the shots and run over for stuff,” said Tom Richardson, who was manning the Quincy Valley Medical Center booth. QVMC had set up a beanbag toss painted like a giant game of “Operation,” and youngsters who made a shot could take a treat. “They enjoy it. One year we had a kid who just kept looping through over and over just to keep playing.” 

National Night Out is an annual event that lets first responders interact with the community when they’re not on a call. The Quincy Police Department hosted the event, but the Grant County Sheriff’s Office, the Moses Lake Regional Tactical Response Team, the Washington State Patrol, Grant County Fire District 3 and other agencies were all there with safety lessons and vehicles and equipment for children to check out. And, of course, loot. 

“Ah, they’re just here for the giveaway,” said GCSO Chief Deputy of Emergency Operations Josh Sainsbury, whose booth had whistles, safety lights and puzzles. “The kids don’t ask a lot of questions but some of the adults ask questions.” 

“(I’ve been to) New Hope, they advocate for domestic violence,” said Evelyn Rojas, who was at the event with her two children. She had also talked with the police department and drug prevention advocates, she said. 

QPD Sgt. Joe Westby, who spearheaded this year’s event, estimated that about 500 people had come out to the park. This was Westby’s first time organizing National Night Out since about 2013. Sgt. Julie Fuller was in charge of the event in the interim, he said. 

“Sgt. Fuller laid a good path,” he said. “I trimmed a little excess in some places and added excess in others.” 

So many people’s experiences of law enforcement are during some of the worst times of their lives, said QPD Officer Joanna Navarro, that it’s really beneficial to be able to have contact under positive conditions. 

“They get one-on-one communication,” Navarro said. “They don’t have to be intimidated. A lot of kids don’t really get this experience unless we go to their house for some sort of call. It (lets them see) we’re human too.” 

Not far away, Officer Alan Talbot was grilling hot dogs to be given away to the crowd, a dozen or so at a time. He’d volunteered for grill duty, he said. 

“We needed somebody to do it, and I was like, ‘You know what? I can get my food handler’s card and do this. It’s not a bad gig.” 

The Moses Lake Regional Tactical Response Team’s armored vehicle was a popular draw with the younger set, and so was the riot gear that was out for kids to try on. It’s a lot heavier than it looks in video games, said GCSO Lt. Ric Char.  

“It's not something they see every day, and it's good for them to go in there, touch it, and then get comfortable with it and us,” Char said. “These National Nights Out are good for community engagement.” 

    Three-year-old Haisley Villalpando lets fly a bean bag at National Night Out in Quincy Monday.
  

    Greta Glatz, 7, checks out the swag at the Quincy Police Department’s booth at National Night Out Monday. The children love the giveaways, some exhibitors said, but that leads the adults with them into conversations with law enforcement and firefighters.
  

    Quincy Police Officer Alan Talbot tries to grill enough hot dogs to keep up with the demand at National Night Out in Quincy Monday. About 500 people attended the event, which included free hot dogs and ice cream.