COEUR d’ALENE — The public can meet local first responders and get a close look at equipment like a helicopter and SWAT vehicle at a community partnership barbecue this weekend. 

The event is 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday in the Black Sheep parking lot, 200 W. Hanley Ave. 

“The main goal is to get the youth more comfortable with being around law enforcement,” said Kootenai County Sheriff’s Deputy Andrew Mohawk. “Our equipment can be big and scary, and we don’t want them to be afraid when they see it.” 

Community members can check out CPR and K-9 demonstrations, as well as boats used by KCSO’s marine team, a mobile evidence trailer and more. The armored vehicle used by SWAT is typically the most popular piece of equipment. 

The Kootenai County Regional Air Support Unit ABLE 1 helicopter will land on site, and the unit’s volunteer pilots will be there to discuss what they do. Both kids and adults should feel free to ask questions, Mohawk said. 

Mohawk said the event provides an opportunity for the public to connect with local first responders and that relationship is an important one. 

“A lot of the time, we’re utilizing the public to get the job done, whether it’s looking for a dog trapped in a hot car or looking for a kidnapping victim,” Mohawk said. “We always rely on the public.”