'A great time': Panama City Beach police to host 28th Cops n' Kids event this weekend

Nathan Cobb, Panama City News Herald
·2 min read

PANAMA CITY BEACH − Sgt. James Dinse of the Beach Police says it's important for local law enforcement agencies to have good relationships with the communities they serve.

To strengthen these relationships, the Panama City Beach Police Department is gearing up to host the 28th annual Cops n' Kids event on Saturday. The free event will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Aaron Bessant Park, west of Pier Park.

It brings together law enforcement, first responders and military members from across Bay County, not just those from PCB.

The Panama City Beach Police Department is slated to host the 28th annual Cops n' Kids event on Saturday at Aaron Bessant Park from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The Panama City Beach Police Department is slated to host the 28th annual Cops n' Kids event on Saturday at Aaron Bessant Park from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

"The event is for the community and for everybody to come together and have a great time," Dinse said. "Its purpose is to strengthen that partnership and make kids feel like they can come up and approach law enforcement, first responders (and) military (members)."

Information from the city notes the event will boast free shirts, hot dogs, drinks, popcorn, snow cones and cotton candy for those who attend. There also will be police K-9 demonstrations, first responder and military displays and performances from Breakfast Point Jazz Band, as well as 10 opportunities to win a free bicycle in a raffle.

"I think it's a great opportunity for us," Dinse said. "I feel honored that our agency is able to do that for the county, and that we can all come together at the Cops n' Kids event. ... We're going on (about) three decades of it, which says a lot."

Along with hosting the Cops n' Kids event, the Panama City Beach Police Department each year holds its Holiday Helpers Program. This collects both food and toy donations to distribute to less-fortunate families throughout the area during the holiday season.

Dinse noted food donations for the program already have been raised by Bay District Schools, but people still can drop off additional supplies to the department, at 17115 Panama City Beach Parkway. Toy collections will begin after Thanksgiving at both Walmarts in PCB with the help of Florida Watersports.

Holiday Cheer: 'Holiday Helpers': Panama City Beach police deliver toys and food to families in need

"It's going to be something that's fun for the kids and families," Dinse said of Cops n' Kids.

This article originally appeared on The News Herald: Beach Police holding Cops n' Kids event at Aaron Bessant Park Saturday