Telegram - Serving Metropolitan Detroit Since 1944

On the evening of Tuesday, August 1, the Inkster Police Department hosted the 2023 National Night Out event at the department's parking lot, welcoming residents to enjoy a night of free fun while interacting with the Inkster Police officers who serve the city. National Night Out is an annual community-building campaign held nationally on the first Tuesday in August to promote police and community partnerships, neighborhood relations, and trust within the community. Also on hand to meet and greet the residents were officers with the Wayne County Sheriff's Office, including the Sheriff's Mounted Unit and K-9 Unit, and the Michigan State Police.

Entertainment for the evening included a live DJ, national recording artist Katie Kadan of NBC's "The Voice," radio personality and comedian Coco, and YouTube stars Fred and Tim Williams a.k.a. "the Twins."

Attractions included lawn games, a video game truck, a bowling truck, wall climbing, basketball, and face painting. Food and drinks were also provided free of charge. "This is an annual event that brings together some of the partners in law enforcement, the Wayne County Sheriff's Office is here, the Michigan State Police are here, the Inkster Police Department, and more importantly than that, members of the community," said Inkster Police Chief William Ratliff, who grew up in Inkster, says the event provides a connection between residents and the police officers. "It's one thing to respond to an emergency and meet people and talk to them in that regard, but it's another thing to have them come to our station and feel welcome and feel that this is their station, that this is the community's police department, we work for them," he says. "Everything here is free. For a night like tonight that is free for families who can come out here and not pay anything and enjoy food, fun, music, and then get familiar with your local officers, the state police and the sheriff's office, it's just a win-win for us. I'm excited to be part of it, I'm excited to do it every year. This is one of my pet projects and as chief, I want to make sure this goes off without a hitch, and the staff here at the Inkster Police Department and the City of Inkster, they do such a great job putting all this together, I'm just thrilled the way it turns out every year."