BELHAVEN — Belhaven police are hosting a community event—and everyone’s invited.

From 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday, the Belhaven Police Department will host “Stop and Shake,” a way for members of the community to meet the people behind the badges. Including food, music and a bounce house for children, the even will be held on the grounds of the Belhaven Boys & Girls Club.

According to Belhaven Police Chief F.P. Clingenpeel, “Stop & Shake” is one step in building better relations between the public and their police department.

“We want to make sure that people realize it’s their police force, the town’s police force,” Clingenpeel said.

While the department has hosted fishing tournaments and basketball tournaments in the past, this time the event is focused on bringing people together to literally shake hands.

Clingenpeel said he got the event name and logo from an incident in Yonkers, N.Y., in which relations between law enforcement and public housing residents had deteriorated to the point of protests, with police on one side of the street and an angry community on the other. But amidst the protesters was a man with a sign that read “Stop & Shake,” entreating both sides to reassess how they deal, and view, one another.

“There was a lot of stop and frisk (in Yonkers) and not stop and shake,” Clingenpeel said. “I think the sign represents a lot about removing barriers. … We don’t have the same problems Yonkers has — and we don’t want the same problems.”

This type of outreach has become increasingly common among law enforcement offices nationwide, much of it in response to negative publicity from last year’s riots in Ferguson, Mo., and Baltimore, in which communities and police were pitted against each other.

Having established, good relationships with the public can prevent escalating situations like that, Clingenpeel said. And it’s not just police — other community volunteers from local organizations and churches are to be a part of the event, as well, he said.

“I just want to invite people to come. And if we run out of hot dogs, we’ll go to Food Lion and get some more,” Clingenpeel said with a laugh.