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McPherson Community First Responders' Night to feature BearCat and K-9 demonstrations

Free food, drinks and entertainment at Lakeside Park from 5 to 7 p.m. Tuesday

Sarah Newberry, Cronkite

22 Sep 2026 • 2 min read

The McPherson, Kan. Joint Law Enforcement Center & County Detection Facility is pictured on Aug. 29, 2026. The building is home to both the McPherson Police Department and the McPherson County Sheriff's Office. (Matthew Petillo/Citizen Journal)

MCPHERSON, Kan. — Lakeside Park will host McPherson Community First Responders' Night from 5 to 7 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 22. The event will feature live demonstrations by the McPherson Police Department K-9 unit and a showcase of the county's BearCat armored vehicle, giving residents a chance to meet McPherson County first responders in a relaxed setting.

The annual event will offer free food, drinks and entertainment, and the city's Facebook post says all are welcome. The city described it as an "annual collection of First Responders and the organizations we use in one location that serve all of McPherson County to learn, make connections, and create incredible memories."

Last year's event, held Sept. 25, 2025, at Lakeside Park, was planned to include police, fire, emergency medical services, sheriff's personnel and U.S. Army representatives, along with emergency vehicle displays and demonstrations. About 1,000 people attended in 2024.

Executive/D.A.R.E. Officer Dusty Voth started the event in 2019, and the McPherson Police Department has hosted it since. Questions may be directed to the department at mcphersonpd@mcpcity.com or 620-245-1200.

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