Kirkland Police, fire and city encourage block parties for National Night Out on Aug. 5; registration requested by July 21
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Summary
Sergeant Eric Karp of the Kirkland Police Department described how neighborhoods can register block parties for National Night Out, scheduled for Aug. 5; the city requests applications by July 21 to staff officers and coordinate appearances.
National Night Out in Kirkland is scheduled for Monday, Aug. 5. The event encourages neighborhood block parties that invite police, fire and city leaders to build relationships between residents and public safety staff, Sergeant Eric Karp of the Kirkland Police Department said on the July 10 City of Kirkland podcast.
"National Night Out is an annual event where police and neighborhoods come together with the goal of building stronger connections to keep communities safe," Sergeant Eric Karp said. "It started over 40 years ago, and today millions of people across the country kinda join in."
Karp outlined how neighborhoods can participate: register a block party on the City of Kirkland website landing page for National Night Out; request police, fire or elected officials to attend via the form; and, where needed, request a street‑closure permit for cul‑de‑sacs or full‑street events. "With that form, they can request to have city leadership and police to attend," he said.
The police department asks neighborhoods to register by July 21 so the department can staff extra officers dedicated to National Night Out and route personnel "from block party to block party," Karp said. Registered parties may request vehicle appearances (patrol cars, motorcycle officers, engines and specialty vehicles), but officers cautioned that large vehicles and rescue apparatus are not guaranteed and depend on operational availability.
Karp and the hosts described community features of the event — swag for kids, photos with motorcycle officers, chili cook‑offs and neighborhood games — and encouraged anonymous voting for food contests. The podcast emphasized the event's community‑building purpose rather than public‑safety enforcement; no new ordinances or formal city actions were announced.
Neighbors seeking to participate were directed to the City's National Night Out web page; the police department advised registering early to increase the likelihood of officer and official attendance.