Committee declares three public-safety community events city‑sponsored

The Overland Park Public Safety Committee on Sept. 10 recommended that the City Council declare three upcoming community events city‑sponsored: the National Faith & Blue Community Engagement event (Resolution 5063), the Friends of First Responders event (Resolution 5064) and an In Their Light candlelight vigil for Domestic Violence Awareness Month (Resolution 5065).

For Resolution 5063 staff said the National Faith & Blue event has been held locally for several years and that the department partners with Deanna Rose Farmstead to host outreach activities that bring law enforcement and faith-based organizations together. Staff said the city’s chaplain program will participate and that the event is scheduled for Oct. 1 (staff indicated a 10 a.m. start time during the meeting).

Resolution 5064 covers the Friends of First Responders event, a long-running program hosted at the Oldham Park Fire Training Center for people with developmental disabilities and their families; staff said the event date is Oct. 11 with planned hours roughly noon–3:30 p.m. Volunteers and community partners such as Variety KC and Golden Scoop were listed as participants.

Resolution 5065 would declare the In Their Light walking candlelight vigil—a domestic-violence-awareness event hosted with SafeHome and the police department—as a city‑sponsored public event. Staff said the vigil will be held at dusk on Oct. 7 at Hilltop Terrace/Hilltop Park Arboretum and that SafeHome advocates and the department’s victim services unit will provide resources.

Committee members asked about event histories, locations and timing. Each motion to recommend the corresponding resolution passed unanimously.

Next steps: Each recommended resolution will be forwarded to the City Council for formal declaration and inclusion on the city’s promotional channels, per staff requests in the committee packet.