National Night Out

K9 Nuke ripped down the lawn at Lake Tye Park on Tuesday evening. He was on the heels of a criminal who fled on foot from his vehicle after leading a Monroe Police Department officer on a short car chase.

The activity had an audience. Kids gripped a plastic safety fence as they watched with their families. After a few tense moments, the purebred German shepherd had Tim Walker on the ground, his jaw locked around a thick shield encasing the officer’s arm.

His handler, Jason Southard, rewarded the department’s only man-tracking K9 unit for properly executing the task.

The demonstration was one of many put on by dozens of local agencies, organizations and businesses that participated in the 2017 National Night Out Against Crime.

Organizers estimate Monroe’s event is the largest in Snohomish County annually. Every year between 2,500 and 3,000 people turn out to take part in activities that aim to increase positive exchanges between first responders, law enforcement and the residents they serve.

Mayor Geoffrey Thomas gave opening remarks to hundreds of people lining the grass fields that evening. Everyone sat in clear summer weather, prepared for the high temperatures. He said the event is a place where the community comes to learn about and thank the people that “keep us safe, day in and day out.” It was also an opportunity for the city to showcase “the very fabric of what we do here — provide services to the community.”

Thomas also recognized Neil Watkins for his many years of involvement in the National Night Out and Monroe community. The former Sky Valley Food Bank executive director finished up his tenure in July.

“You mean so much to so many of us,” Thomas said.

Watkins said the event wasn’t always what it is now. The police department put it on for a few years before funds ran low. That is when the Rotary Club of Monroe stepped in. The two have collaborated for the past nine years, he said.

“It’s just gotten bigger and bigger,” Watkins said, and that’s because of the efforts by the organizers.

The free event has food, bouncy houses, demonstrations, games and instruction on crime prevention and safety.

“It’s just a really fun three hours,” Watkins said.

Rotary president Katy Woods has also been involved since the beginning. She has witnessed the numbers rise each year. She said National Night Out is one of the organization’s biggest events, and one that will not end any time soon.

Woods said the main goal is to build partnerships between different community groups. Anyone in town can set up a tent as long as something at their booth promotes crime prevention. Woods doubles as the branch manager at Coastal Community Bank. She said her company sent representatives Tuesday to instruct on how to fend off identify theft and fraud.

While walking past the files of tents, Jace Showers, 3, stopped for a moment to high-five McGruff the Crime Dog. He brought his father Brandon Showers and other family members out to the event for the first time this year.

“They are really excited to be here,” Showers said of his children.

Danny Axelson had been looking at the flyer for National Night Out tacked up on the wall at home for months. The student spent some time at the SWAT team exhibition. He picked up and tried on different equipment, including a ballistic shield.

Danny’s father, Jason Axelson, said he was caught off guard by how many people came out. He said the family has had positive interactions with Monroe’s first response and law enforcement agencies since they moved to the area 17 years ago, through activities like Boy Scouts.

Tiffany Jenkins brought her young family to Lake Tye so her kids could play some of the games and let off some energy. Her son Samuel Jenkins, 4, tested his skills at a beanbag toss.

“Look around you — it’s all about this,” Watkins said, gesturing toward the hoards of people wandering between the booths, hotdog stand and bouncy houses.

Monroe Police Detective Spencer Robinson narrated the different demonstrations hosted by his department this year. He said the work he does with children during the event often turns out to be the most rewarding. The agency uses the shows as a chance to highlight the tools that help mitigate crime in Monroe, Robinson said.

The K9 units help put officers at their maximum advantage, Robinson said. Technology has never been able to replicate how efficiently a dog’s nose can smell; they will detect evidence their handler never could. Likewise, an officer can glean testimony from a suspect that can help decide how and when to deploy an animal. It really is a partnership, , he said, which can keep both officers and suspects safe.

“Part of being a good department is educating people on what we do and what resources we have,” Robinson said.

National Night Out is a place for law enforcement to bridge that gap, Robinson said. Most people only see police officers on a bad day. This event gives everyone a chance to meet up and foster a deeper relationship, he said.