The free cookout brings out first responder vehicles and live music, and Safety City will be open for the evening too. Leashed, well-behaved dogs get an invite as well, so this isn't just a kids-and-cops thing, it's a whole neighborhood hangout.
This has become a fixture on the fall calendar rather than a one-off publicity stunt. Getting a look at fire trucks, patrol cars and other first responder vehicles up close tends to be the draw for younger kids, while the free food and music give parents a reason to stick around Clapp Park a while longer.
For families in the area, it's a cheap night out that doubles as a chance to put faces with the badges patrolling their streets. With only 1,000 free meals up for grabs, folks who want to eat should plan on getting there earlier rather than later, since the department didn't say what happens once that count runs out.
Five years, one park, and a running bet on whether burgers or badges pull the bigger crowd first.