Julie Paz and her 7-year-old daughter, Sofia, waited briefly in line Tuesday to enter the Schererville Police Department National Night Out before Sofia happily picked out a pink backpack.

Sofia said she will take the backpack, which was filled with school supplies, to school in a few weeks. Paz, of Schererville, said she brings her daughter to the event every year because it’s a family-friendly event.

“(We enjoy) the community getting together and seeing people that we know,” Paz said. “She loves it every year.”

In previous years, as families entered the National Night Out event they would receive a free meal, said Schererville Police Department Officer Jeff Zemburski. But, this year, the first 500 families that entered the event received a free backpack with school supplies inside, he said.

The 16th annual event had 25 business booths and seven food vendors set up in a circular shape in Redar Park so that attendees could walk around to interact with business leaders and win prizes. The final stations were bouncy houses and slides.

The purpose of the event, Zemburski said, is for community members to interact with police officers, firefighters and businesses.

“There are a lot of police officers here. We want to keep that open relationships and keep the community safe,” Zemburski said. “You’ll get a lot of people who don’t feel comfortable calling 911, so they see us here and ... talk to us about any issues in their neighborhood.”

Hannah Cosh, of Schererville, helped her 3-year-old son, Levi, pick out a firefighter hat at the station set up by the Schererville Fire Department.

“He’s loving it,” Cosh said. “He’s interested in the ambulance, fire equipment and squad car.”

Hazel Hadt, 5, wowed those waiting in line at the Northwest Indiana Martial Arts Academy as she broke a board.

“It was awesome,” Hazel said, before running off to the next booth.

Mike Hadt, her father, came to the event with his wife and three daughters for a fun family night before school starts, he said. The girls like to play games at the business booths and the bouncy houses, and he and his wife like talking to the business representatives and other parents, he said.

“The event is great and the community is wonderful,” Hadt said. “At the end of the day, that’s why we’re all here. We have to support community.”

Zachary Mashburn, an instructor with Northwest Indiana Martial Arts Academy, said he enjoys interacting with the community and teaching kids some techniques about control and respect.

When the kids approached, Mashburn

would teach them hand punches and then have them ask their parent or adult they came with for permission to break a board.

After getting permission, the kids would bow and then break a board. They also got to keep the board they broke, Mashburn said.

“It’s always fantastic (attending the event), Mashburn said. “Seeing the kids face light up, it’s totally worth it.”

Police officers did a K-9 demonstration, including a scenario where a police officer was being attacked and the police dog was inside the squad car. The police officer pushed a button he had on his uniform, the squad car door opened and a muzzled dog attacked another police officer wearing protective gear.

Gracelyn Bursac, 5, asked the officer how old the police dog was and the officer said about 5 years old.

“I liked the dogs,” Gracelyn said.

Angela Bursac, Gracelyn’s mother, said her three daughters most enjoyed the K-9 demonstration and watching the dog jump out of the squad car.

“I like that we can communicate with the officers and the community,” Bursac said. “It’s good for the girls to see police and emergency personnel and not be afraid.”