New Hanceville police officer Jason Wilbanks, left, is sworn in by police chief Josh Howell, at city hall Thursday night.

HANCEVILLE — Each year when kids and parents come to Hanceville’s Kids’ Night Out, they’re getting a double dose of community bonding at the annual outdoor event.

In addition to welcoming Hanceville students back for the start of fall classes (and giving them a head start with free school supplies), Kids’ Night Out also extends an opportunity for local kids to meet the law enforcement and emergency response professionals who staff the police, fire, and EMT vehicles they see on the roads every day.

When this year’s Kids’ Night Out event rolls around next month, at least a couple of those professional faces will be new. At this week’s meeting of the Hanceville City Council, police chief Josh Howell officially welcomed two new members to the city’s police department, swearing in officers Jason Wilbanks and Justin Freeman and thanking them for their decision to take the next step of their law enforcement careers in a small town.

“Upon my appointment as chief, one of my goals was to restructure our department and recruit people who had the same goals and love for the community that I have, and the things that I envision for the future of our department,” said Howell.

Wilbanks comes to the department after serving as a Cullman County sheriff’s deputy, including service on the Cullman County Drug Task Force. Freeman most recently served as a patrol officer with the Trussville Police Department, and brings a wealth of experience in traffic accident management, said Howell.

“I want to personally thank them both for coming and joining our police department,” he added. “It really does mean a lot to me. They could’ve chosen anywhere else to go: They have very diverse backgrounds, so they could have gone anywhere. Everybody’s hiring right now, so they could have chosen [to work] anywhere.”

Officers like Wilbanks and Freeman will be on hand at this year’s Kids’ Night Out, speaking with Hanceville families and helping residents of all ages establish community connections with the local people whose jobs are to protect and serve. Kids’ Night Out will be held from 6 p.m. until 9 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 21 at C.W. Day Park, with plenty of free hot dogs, snacks, and tons of kids’ activities, plus a first-ever fireworks show once the skies darken.

Back-to-school supply packets assembled through Kids’ Night Out sponsorships already have been delivered to Hanceville schools, said Howell, though organizers still need local volunteers to help out on the night of the event. For more information on how to volunteer, visit or call City Hall (256-352-9830) and speak with police chief Josh Howell or records officer Michele Allen.

In other business at its regular meeting, the council:

• Approved an $11,000 invoice for services rendered in the city’s 2020 fiscal year audit. Nail noted that the results of the audit, though delayed, reflect no material findings and are available for public review at City Hall.
• Designated Bulldog Lane as the city’s target street project for annual funding through the Rebuild Alabama transportation program.
• Recognized mayoral appointment Cameron Rowe to the Hanceville Planning Commission.
• Approved the purchase of a new Lorex 4K-32 camera security system for the municipal complex building (City Hall), at a cost of $3,819.
• Agreed, by unanimous vote, to pass over consideration of obtaining a presented cybersecurity insurance policy for the city while also agreeing to further pursue insurance coverage options.
• Approved the minutes of the council’s July 27 regular meeting.
• The next regular council meeting will be held Aug. 24 at 5:30 p.m. in the council meeting room at Hanceville City Hall. A 5 p.m. public work session will precede the meeting at the same location.