Dublin Police rolled out a new Safety Passport Challenge at Tuesday's National Night Out cookout, turning the annual community gathering into an interactive scavenger hunt of sorts for attendees of all ages.

Guests at the Aug. 4 event picked up a passport booklet at the door and visited activity stations scattered across the grounds outside the Dublin Justice Center at 6565 Commerce Parkway. Complete the booklet, earn a prize. The challenge was the department's biggest addition to this year's cookout, according to the city's event listing, layering a structured engagement element on top of what has traditionally been a casual evening of food and conversation between officers and neighbors.

The passport format gave families a reason to circulate through every corner of the event rather than cluster near the food line. Specific station topics were not detailed in city materials, though the evening's broader offerings included a drone demonstration, a Touch-A-Cruiser vehicle display and a Cops & Bobbers fishing area where children could cast a line alongside a Dublin Police officer.

Free hot dogs, chips, ice cream and drinks rounded out the 6-to-8 p.m. cookout. Parking was directed to Dublin City Hall at 5555 Perimeter Drive, with officers guiding attendees to the Justice Center site.

National Night Out is a nationwide campaign held the first Tuesday of August to strengthen ties between law enforcement and residents. Dublin Police called the cookout "one of Dublin's favorite community traditions" in a July 21 social media post promoting the evening.

The passport challenge fits a broader summer engagement push by the department. Deputy Chief Nick Tabernik said in a July 14 city news release announcing separate outreach programs, "Summer is one of the best times to connect with kids and families where they are — in parks, on bikes, on scooters and along our shared use paths."

Those programs, including Cool Treats with Dublin Police pop-ups at local parks, reached more than 150 kids and families at each of the first two outings. Officer Loni Ives-Stone told NBC4 on July 16 that for many people, especially children, their only interaction with police may come during traumatic events, and programs like these create more positive relationships.

The city did not release attendance figures for Tuesday's cookout. Senior Public Information Officer Robyn Gray is the department's media contact for the event.

Dublin Police's community outreach continues through the summer with weekly Cool Treats events at area parks. Schedules are posted at YourDublinPolice.org.