In Canby, many still take the time to express their thanks to the first responders that have helped keep our community safe and healthy — particularly during the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic.
But on Tuesday, Sept. 7, Canby Police want to take their turn saying, “Thank you.” From 5 to 8 p.m. that day, the Canby Police Department will be hosting a “Grill and Chill” community appreciation event, serving up free hot dogs and shaved ice, a photo booth, equipment and vehicle demonstrations and a chance to meet Canby’s finest.
“Basically, our community has been super supportive of us, and we wanted to say, ‘Thank you,'” Chief Jorge Tro explained. “I know that when we told them, our officers were pretty excited to really give back to a community that has served them well.”
Such an outreach has been in the works for several years, the chief said, but the pandemic complicated things.
Click to access Grill-Chill.pdf
And though Canby police officers are no strangers to participating in or hosting community events like their popular annual Bike Rodeo, this type of shindig — essentially, a neighborhood block party staged at Canby PD — is not something they’ve done before.
“In all my years, I’m not sure I’ve seen something quite like this,” Tro said with a chuckle.
While fun and informative, such events can also play an important role in community policing, by giving residents and children the chance to meet and get to know their law enforcement officers in a positive setting.
“That’s the biggest thing,” Tro said. “We want folks to be able to get to know our officers because we are part of the community. When they see an officer out on patrol, we want them to feel like they can wave, say, ‘Hi’ and all that.”
The community event will include a close-up look at police vehicles and equipment, including drone and K-9 officer demos. The department’s speed radar trailer will be set up to give kids a chance to see how fast they can run. There will also be a free photo booth, sponsored by Canby Kiwanis, and other prizes and giveaways.
