LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Parents and children had the chance to check out fire trucks, police cars and talk with first responders.

Police departments around Kentuckiana hosted National Night Out events on Tuesday. National Night Out is an annual community-building campaign that promotes police partnerships and neighborhood camaraderie. LMPD was set up at five locations around the city on Tuesday evening.

Police use the night as an opportunity to connect with the community.

Skyler Small took her 7-year-old son Bryson to LMPD's Night Out at Jefferson Mall because she wanted him to see police are good people.

"I just want him to come out to see everything just get together and just see the positivity especially in the police officers," Small said. "Something he could maybe be when he grows up."

The Louisville chapter of Voices of Black Mothers United presented LMPD Officer Tonya Landry with an award for outstanding community policing.

"The community loves coming out, this is why we are here, it's for the community," Landry said. 

While families got to enjoy a night out with free family-friendly activities, St. Matthews Police Chief Barry Wilkerson said it's important to give community members the chance to interact with first responders in a positive way.

"Anytime you see that police officer in your rearview mirror you get scared," Wilkerson said. "We don't want that. We're human beings like everyone else. We want the community to come out and meet that side of us."

Around 20 cities in Kentucky participated in National Night Out, while almost 80 cities in Indiana were part of the event. The event typically takes place the second Tuesday of August each year.

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