Oregon Police Draw Backlash for ‘Hide and Seek with a Cop’ Event: ‘Run Without Consequences!’

The Sherwood Police Department in Sherwood, Ore., surprised some members of the community last week when they announced Hide and Seek With a Cop, a modified game of tag billed as an “interactive” community event in which children 12 and up, as well as adults, do their best to outrun armed police officers.

Public information officer Paul Mattson III defended the event when Oregon Live asked about the backlash the department has received.

“There are always going to be people that have something negative to say,” Mattson told the outlet on Tuesday, Oct. 22. “It’s genuinely just us trying to create a fun, interactive event for our community and for people outside of our community to come join us and spend some time with us.”

The event, which was first advertised on the Sherwood Police Department’s Facebook account on Oct. 15, is "basically your only chance to run from the cops without consequences," the department's announcement read.

According to Mattson, the department is known for putting a spin on community gatherings — such as a Star Wars-themed “Coffee with The Force,” which encourages residents to dress up as Stormtroopers and Mandalorians to meet with officers for a cup of coffee at a local coffee shop.

However, commenters on the Sherwood Police Department’s Facebook post didn’t seem to think that running from armed officers after dark at 7 p.m. start time had the same ring to it.

“So you didn't think about how traumatizing interactions with cops with guns have been? You set this up as a game? Have you actually tried community outreach and sensitivity training?” one user wrote.

Another person added, “Intriguing idea, but I don’t think that citizens being more afraid of being killed by cops than by zombies or serial killers is the flex you think it is.”

One user said they were “torn” over the idea because “my nephew was gunned down by police during a mental health check and it’s hard not to be afraid of a uniform anymore.”

Still, Mattson tells Oregon Live that if the Sherwood Police Department didn’t wear their guns, it would defeat the goal of helping community members overcome the fear of interacting with officers as they are.

In a statement to KOIN, Mattson said, “Sometimes being in a uniform, it can scare people or make people feel uncomfortable. And so when they see us, you know, in community events or on social media, it really humanizes us, and it creates that community engagement.”

Hide and Seek With a Cop is scheduled for Oct. 30, the day before Halloween, in Stella Olsen Memorial Park.