A new location and an expanded lineup of community vendors helped Battle Ground’s National Night Out event grow Tuesday, Aug. 25, while giving residents and first responders more opportunities to connect outside of emergency situations.
The annual event, hosted by the Battle Ground Police Department (BGPD), was held at Chief Umtuch Middle School this year after being postponed from its original date. Police Lt. Jim Keller said the change in venue helped create more space for vendors, activities and residents to interact with BGPD personnel, Fire District 3 personnel, and vendor booths.
“I think the event went really well,” Keller said. “The new location allowed the vendors to spread out a little bit more, which at Kiwanis Park we were having a little trouble doing just because of the way the park was laid out.”
The larger layout allowed attendees to move through the event without feeling crowded, Keller said, while also separating the vendor area from the seating and food areas.
“It allowed us to kind of make it more community friendly, allowing people to really take their time to go through the vendors,” he said, “go through and talk to people, get the resources that they need, and really let the vendors have a lot more fun and a lot more excitement talking to the community members that were showing up.”
The event also featured more participating organizations than the previous year. Keller said National Night Out grew from 23 vendors in 2025 to 35 this year, including the bike safety rodeo and fire department. Although a few vendors were unable to attend because of scheduling conflicts created by the postponement, still more than 30 vendors ultimately participated.
“So, we had more things to offer,” Keller said. “I think there are a lot more resources available. A lot more community members showed up, I believe, for this one just based on what I observed.”
Keller said he did not have an exact attendance count, but residents and vendors repeatedly told him they appreciated the new location, additional parking and ability to spend more time at the event.
One of the most active areas was the expanded bike safety rodeo, which Keller said was designed to keep participants moving through a continuous course. Officers remained stationed at the rodeo throughout the evening, allowing children to interact with police while participating.
Children received free helmets and raffle tickets for a chance to win bicycles. Keller estimated that about 300 helmets were distributed from the 555 helmets purchased for the event.
The new location is likely to become the event’s home moving forward.
“The new site I think is going to be the future site,” Keller said. “If we have it on the actual night, barring any kind of air quality issues, I think the event will actually continue to increase in size.”
For Keller, the success of National Night Out is measured by more than attendance.
He said the event provides residents an opportunity to interact with police officers in a setting that is separate from the tense circumstances that typically bring law enforcement and community members together.
“Because with National Night Out, it’s not about highlighting the department,” Keller said. “It’s about highlighting the community, the relationships that community members can build with the vendors, with the resources that are there.”
He said children in particular may primarily encounter police officers during difficult situations, making events such as National Night Out an opportunity to change that perception.
“Coming out here, they can actually put a name to a face and know that the officers are somebody they can go to and not be afraid of,” Keller said.
The positive interactions benefit officers, too. Keller said law enforcement personnel frequently respond to tense calls where their role is enforcement, but community events allow officers to see residents in a different setting.
“I think it’s huge for officer wellness because … we see families kind of at their worst,” Keller said. “And I think officers getting that positive interaction, just like community members, is a huge benefit because we see people in the best light at these community events.”
Ultimately, Keller said National Night Out is about creating meaningful connections rather than simply drawing the largest possible crowd.
“Our goal is to have meaningful interactions with people who live, work, and raise their families here,” he said.
“Those meaningful interactions are the key to building those relationships,” Keller said. “The growth of the event, I would love to continue to grow this as big as I can. And that growth, I think, is a huge indicator that people in the community want to connect with the department.”
