Decatur Police Department hosts National Night Out at Dansby Park

DECATUR, Ill. (WAND) — Decatur police brought dozens of officers to Dansby Park Tuesday night for National Night Out, an annual community event designed to build connections between law enforcement and residents.

Activities included a DJ, Touch a Truck, sack races, a foam party and food. Tug-of-war was added to the lineup for the first time this year.

Leanne Bond, Decatur's National Night Out chair, said the event served a broader purpose for the community.

"The police are our friends, right? They're community members, they're our family, they're our neighbors, and they're just like us, right? We need to build that rapport back up so that kids can feel safe going to them," Bond said.

The city also awarded the 2026 Johnson and Mears Community Service Award to Beatrice Hall on Tuesday.

Hall led the Old King's Orchard 4-H Club for over 30 years, distributing food and teaching kids about basic cooking skills.