MUSKEGON, Mich. — National Night Out has made its way to Muskegon, bringing together 15 neighborhoods from across the city with local police officers to foster connections and build community relationships.
WATCH: 'Our mission is to foster trust': Muskegon's National Night Out helps build community-police relationships
The event, held at Marsh Field, featured bounce houses, dunk tanks, and more than 25 community resources available to residents.
"We have Trinity Health Safe Kids West Michigan, they're giving away free gun locks to the community. We also have United Way as well as Hackley Community Care and DTE Energy," said Emily Morgenstern, Muskegon Police Community Coordinator.
"I think it's that small interaction that you can have with our citizens, with our visitors here to Muskegon. It's going to mean a lot," added Chief Tim Kozal.
Beyond the entertainment, the event focused on building trust between residents and law enforcement.
"Our mission is to foster trust with the community. It's also to enhance the safety of our citizens," Chief Kozal said.
"Each neighborhood has their own community officers, and this way we get to engage with them and talk to them, and there's free food and fun from everyone," added Dan Leask, Head of the Neighborhood Associations for Michigan.
For Chief Kozal, the event was about more than just entertainment.
"This is fun. But it's not just about the hot dogs. It's not just about the ice cream. It's about being able to interact," he said.
Chief Kozal emphasized the importance of knowing residents by name and building personal connections.
"It's not just about us," Chief Kozal said. "It's about the community being able to wrap their arms around our citizens and our visitors."
Morgenstern adds these connections go both ways.
"It's so important, especially in the city of Muskegon, to give that positive police presence and to have our residents be able to interact with our officers, get to know them, and just know that they're humans, just like you and I," she said.