National Night Out in Olney
National Night Out in Olney
National Night Out in Olney
National Night Out in Olney
National Night Out in Olney
National Night Out in Olney
National Night Out in Olney
National Night Out in Olney

National Night Out in Olney

The Olney Police Department [OPD] hosted a national night out Oct. 16. The event was held at Olney’s Griffin Park. It featured many of Young County’s First Responders, including the Young County Sheriff ’s Office [YCSO], Olney Volunteer Fire Department [OVFD] and Olney EMS [OEMS].

The National Night Out started with a fly-in by the Air Evac Life Team helicopter and crew. OPD offered free hot dogs and hamburgers to the guests. Casey Keeter and Kevin Bullock were on hand to entertain the crowd, with Bullock playing the fiddle and Keeter playing the guitar and singing.

Sheriff Travis Babcock presented the YCSO police dog and the special response vehicle. Babcock said, “We are here for national night out, and it’s just a time for all law enforcement and first responders to get together and celebrate what we do. It’s just a good way for the community to come together and show their appreciation for what we do. I can’t be prouder of everybody here.”

Chief Birbeck gave insight about the National Night Out, “This is our National Night Out event, this is where we come out and display all of our equipment and try to make connections with the community. We give the community an opportunity to come out and shake hands with us and get to know us outside of the normal course of business. This is a relaxed atmosphere where people don’t feel intimidated, I guess by coming out and shaking hands with police officers and just really kind of getting to know us as members of the community and just not law enforcement.”

Chief Birbeck spoke more on what all took place for the event, “We have a pretty wide variety of different people participating including local churches, the Chamber of Commerce, the Humane Society (providing $10 pet chip implants), Olney Fire Department, EMS, Precinct Three Constable, Young County Sheriff ’s Office, Archer County Sheriff ’s Office, Air Evac. I’m sure I’m leaving somebody out, but it’s just been a really great effort to get everybody together, and I give a lot of the credit to Officer Joe Logan, who coordinated this year’s National Night Out event. He has done a fantastic job,” Birbeck said.

To stay up to date on future events of the OPD, please visit their Facebook page at @OlneyPD and the Olney Chamber of Commerce Facebook page at Olney Chamber of Commerce.