Hundreds of residents filled Central Park on Wednesday, Aug. 5, for Doylestown Township's fifth annual National Night Out, mingling with officers from seven police departments and climbing inside an armored Bearcat tactical vehicle parked alongside a 1957 Ford police car.

The event at 425 Wells Road ran from 4 to 8 p.m. and drew police, fire and EMS crews from across the region, according to Patch. The Central Bucks Special Response Team opened its Bearcat for public tours, while K-9 officers from Central Bucks Regional Police and Warrington Police demonstrated their dogs. Warrington Officer Corey Fox appeared with K-9 Abby.

Ken Sylvester brought the vintage 1957 Ford cruiser, giving kids a side-by-side look at policing equipment separated by nearly 70 years.

Beyond the hardware, the evening spotlighted services many residents may not know exist. Victim Specialist Supervisor Karen Edwards staffed a table for the Victim Services Unit, a federally funded program that provides free advocacy, safety planning and crisis intervention to crime victims in Buckingham Township, Plumstead Township, Doylestown Borough, Chalfont Borough and New Britain Borough. Edwards has worked with victims since 2020 and has more than 30 years of experience in Bucks County, according to the Central Bucks Regional Police Department's CrimeWatch page.

The Bucks County Workforce On Wheels bus also drew visitors. The mobile PA CareerLink offers 10 laptop workstations and free career services including résumé writing, interview coaching and job-search help.

Named officials at the event included Chief Rich Clowser of New Britain Township Police, Capt. Paul Kreuter of Central Bucks Regional Police, Sgt. William E. Kirk of Dublin Borough Police and Cpl. John Blanchard of Warrington Township Police. Peg Courts, a medical psychotherapist with Central Bucks Regional Police, was also on hand.

Police departments represented included Doylestown Township, Central Bucks Regional, Plumstead, New Britain Township, Solebury, Warrington and Warwick. Fire crews from Doylestown and Warrington attended, with Warrington firefighters bringing Tower 29. EMS teams from Central Bucks, Point Pleasant-Plumsteadville and Warrington rounded out the first-responder presence, joined by Alpha K9 Search and Rescue, the Bucks County Rangers, the District Attorney's Office, the Sheriff's Department and the county's Mobile Command Unit.

Doylestown Township said in a Facebook post that the evening celebrated "the partnerships that help keep Doylestown Township a safe and welcoming place to live." The event typically draws about 1,000 people, TAPinto Doylestown has reported.

Neighboring Buckingham Township postponed its own National Night Out from Wednesday to Thursday, Aug. 6, due to weather. That event is scheduled for Peddler's Village.