National Night Out hits a high note
Randy Heitz takes a slam at a car during the police department's open invitation to crunch metal on Tuesday night.
Press photos by Kate Hayden Floyd County Search and Rescue rips off a Pontiac door during a Jaws of Life demonstration at National Night Out in Central Park. For the event’s first hour, members of the public were invited to take a whack at the car with a sledgehammer, busting out windows and crumpling in the doors before the department’s showcase.
Floyd County Attorney Rachel Ginbey was one of 27 volunteers to smash up a car during the night’s activities.
Charles City resident Robin Pivarnik beats down a headlight at the car demonstration Tuesday evening, overseen by the Police Department.
Ava Studer, 10 and Makenna Jensen, 12, play around with llama Finn, nearly 1 year, and puppy Rascal, 10 months.
MiKayla Janssen, 5, finds face painting a bit ticklish at Charles City's National Night Out.
Ava Studer, 10, poses with Finn the llama in the back of an antique police cruiser.
Event draws hundreds to annual games, exhibits, car-smashing
By Kate Hayden | khayden@charlescitypress.com
It’s hard to say no when the town’s police chief hands offers you a sledgehammer and a car.
That was the takeaway Tuesday night, after 27 members of the public smashed the daylights –– and tail lights –– out of an immediately weary-looking Pontiac at National Night Out.
The event, hosted by the Charles City Police Department and community partners, is part of a national movement to build community relationships between law enforcement and citizens. A few hundred people came throughout the evening for exhibits, games and the ‘Love Those Llamas’ 4-H Club at Central Park, Police Chief Hugh Anderson said.
And of course, car smashing –– and the following ‘Jaws of Life’ demonstration put on by Floyd County Search and Rescue.
“It seems like smashing the car and the ‘Jaws of Life’ have been two of the biggest hits,” Anderson said. “Face painting is going over well, and also the finger printing is going over extremely well. All the booths are getting a lot of attention.”
It’s the first –– and last -– year for this particular car, but Charles City’s National Night Out had hosted another car-bashing opportunity two years ago.
“This car came from a person that was convicted of a crime here in Charles City, doing a burglary. We took the car and decided that we would use it to take a swing at crime,” Anderson said. “Search and Rescue is using it as a practice, a demonstration to show how they would rescue someone out of a car by cutting it apart with the ‘Jaws of Life’.”
In the previous year, the former owner who forfeited the car to the Charles City police showed up to National Night Out and took a few swings of his own, Anderson said.
When opportunity knocks, beat it right back.
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