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OLIVE HILL, Ky. — The Olive Hill Police Department will host its second annual Blue Line Block Party on Saturday, July 11, from noon to 5 p.m. at the Depot in Olive Hill.
The Blue Line Block Party was created to give residents an opportunity to interact with officers outside of emergency situations and build stronger relationships within the community.
The event is open to the public and designed to bring the community together in a relaxed, family-friendly environment.
“The Blue Line Block Party is a community based event to give the community exposure to officers in a positive light,” said Chief Bruce Palmer, Olive Hill Police Department. “Officers usually encounter citizens when they are having a bad experience and that always leaves a little bit of a negative connotation to their exposure to law enforcement.”
He added, “We wanted the public to have a positive experience surrounding the Department and let them see we are just as human as they are. We want to show the public, especially the little ones, we are there to help and it’s okay to approach us and talk to us.”
Following a successful first year, Palmer says the department made the decision to bring the event back with plans for it to grow each year.
“The guys in the department all got together after last year's Block Party and felt it was a positive experience for those that attended,” he said. “We decided to make this an annual event with the hopes of expanding it a little every year.”
This year’s event will feature a wide range of activities for all ages, including Zorb Ball races, a mechanical shark ride, a dunk tank, a large water slide, a gladiator arena, and a K-9 meet and greet.
Vendors will also be on site offering food and drinks, and organizers hope to again provide free hot dogs for attendees.
Palmer says community members will have multiple opportunities to chat with officers throughout the event.
“Community members can interact directly with most officers at each of the stations we will be setting up and with the K-9 meet and greet,” Palmer said. “This whole event is really geared at getting the public to get together with the officers and have fun.”
The event is free to attend, though some attractions will require tickets. Proceeds from those ticketed activities will go toward equipment funding for the police department, while vendor sales will directly benefit the vendors.
Palmer says the heart of the event is connection…creating space for meaningful, positive interactions between officers and the community they serve.
“The main goal of the Blue Line Block Party is to get the public out and to get them involved with each other and with the police department in an environment that lets everyone relax and have a good time,” Palmer said. “We want the public to feel like they know us and can trust us. We feel there's no better way to experience that than to sit down and talk and eat together, and we can all relax and cut up together. After all, we are all just human.”
All community members are invited to attend, with organizers emphasizing a safe and welcoming atmosphere for families.
“Everyone is invited to attend the event,” he said. “All we ask is that we keep this an alcohol free zone and make this a positive experience for everyone attending.”
For those attending for the first time, Palmer encourages guests to come prepared for a day of fun in the summer heat.
“To someone that has not attended before, be sure to bring sunscreen! It can get pretty hot,” he said. “Bring an open mind and open heart…be patient with us, as this is all new to us as well. Come here to have a good time with your kids.”
Beyond the activities, the department hopes the event will help reshape how community members view law enforcement.
“We hope that the community sees that we are all just a decent group of guys that want to help our community develop in a positive direction,” Palmer said. “At the end of the day we work here, but we also have children in these schools and families in this community.”
He added, “We want people to see that we are human too, and we have compassion for the people and places in this community just like everyone else does. We are called to serve, and events like this help us show that from a different perspective.”