COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

National Night Out is a distinctive summer community gathering in Happy Valley. While it shares the familiar elements of live music and the excitement of family-friendly activities enjoyed at summer concerts, it also possesses a unique quality that sets it apart from other City events. It serves to not only build relationships between neighbors, but also promotes community partnerships with Happy Valley Police.

The event also features Clackamas County Sheriff deputies, and firefighters from Clackamas Fire District #1. Paramedics from American Medical Response are also on site, as are representatives from a variety of entities that focus on community safety. Residents are encouraged to check out emergency vehicles and rigs, test out the sirens, and ask lots of questions. City Councilors, City staff and members of the Traffic and Public Safety Committee are also in attendance to meet and engage with.

Building relationships with your neighbors proves to be a powerful strategy against criminal activities. A tight knit community is better equipped to identify unusual behavior and extend a watchful eye over each other. National Night Out reinforces this notion and can be a great catalyst for encouraging neighbors to get acquainted and become more familiar with what local law enforcement does.

National Night Out takes place on the first Tuesday of August.

Coffee with a Cop is an event that helps residents and members from the Happy Valley Police Department connect and interact. Sharing a cup of coffee with a police deputy is a unique and eye-opening experience that transcends the uniform and reinforces the sense of community. It’s a moment where residents and officers come together as partners rather than strangers, easing societal pressures that can feel divisive. A shared cup of coffee becomes a platform for open dialogue, and a reminder that law enforcement, residents and business owners often share similar goals.

Coffee with A Cop typically takes place the first Wednesday in October.

In the fall and spring, Happy Valley Police join efforts with the City of Happy Valley to help support educational outreach pertaining to traveling to and from school. Special focus is placed on crosswalk safety and the importance of keeping distractions to a minimum when walking, biking, and driving to campus. Efforts culminate in a school-wide community event that gives students a chance to meet deputies and connect with the School Resource Officer. The event serves as an opportunity to inform the community about safe driving habits and bring pedestrian safety to the forefront. If you are a school administrator or board member of a local school’s PTO/PTA and would like to learn more about this type of event, contact the City’s Public Safety Director, Steve Campbell, at [email protected].

Residents can request to spend some time in the passenger seat of a deputy patrol vehicle, observing the work of law enforcement during an actual shift. A ride-along can be a great way to learn more about the Happy Valley Police Department and ask questions about what deputies do. Whether you have an interest in law enforcement as a career or you simply want to become more familiar with the Happy Valley Police Department, the experience can be very informative and help shed light on the work of local deputies.

Ride-alongs are based on deputy availability. To inquire about scheduling a ride-along, contact Happy Valley Police Chief, Rich Sheldon, at [email protected]. Some restrictions apply.