Nathaniel White, left, of Marietta, stands with his 4-year-old daughter Natalie White, right, in the water at the Marietta Aquatic Center during the annual Policeman’s Pool Party thrown by the Marietta Police Department Wednesday evening. (Photo by Michelle Dillon)

MARIETTA — A long line of people wearing flip-flops and bathing suits and clutching brightly colored towels could be seen outside the Marietta Aquatic Center Wednesday evening.

The Marietta Police Department hosted its annual Policeman’s Pool Party, an event that has been going on for several years and the first one of which was held in the 1930s, according to Marietta Police Sgt. Errol Kramer.

He said this is the first year the department has hosted the event in the evening, which ran from 6-8:30 p.m. Wednesday, because they wanted plenty of people to have the opportunity to come.

“It’s community outreach,” Kramer said about the reason for the event. “It’s just a way for us to engage the community in a non-law enforcement manner.”

He said children love the event and the department has been getting calls for weeks asking about the event, which is free.

Lower Salem resident Rhenliegh, 7, plays in the water at the Marietta Aquatic Center during the Marietta Police Department’s annual Policeman’s Pool Party Wednesday evening. (Photo by Michelle Dillon)

“The public has come to love the event,” Kramer said.

According to Kramer, there was a raffle at the event offering 60 bikes as prizes and the department was handing out super-soakers to the children at the pool party.

He said in total between the bikes and the super-soakers the department would be giving out 400 items during the pool party.

Marietta resident Nathaniel White came to the pool party with his 4-year-old daughter Natalie White.

“We just came for a family evening of fun,” he said.

Lower Salem resident Rhenliegh, 7, plays in a water feature at the Marietta Aquatic Center during the Marietta Police Department’s annual Policeman’s Pool Party Wednesday evening. (Photo by Michelle Dillon)

He said it is his family’s first time at the event.

“It’s nice,” he said.

His daughter could be seen playing on the pirate ship and enjoying the water. He said he has never seen so many people at the aquatic center.

Lower Salem resident Josie Young brought her 7-year-old daughter Rhenleigh Young to the pool party “for fun,” she said.

She thinks the pool party is pretty good. She said her daughter was “having a blast” at the party.

A line of bikes sits at the Marietta Aquatic Center Wednesday evening as part of the annual Marietta Police Department’s Policeman’s Pool Party. There were 60 bikes available as raffle prizes during the event. (Photo by Michelle Dillon)

According to Kramer, the Marietta Police Department expected about 1,000 people to attend the event.

Michelle Dillon can be reached at mdillon@newsandsentinel.com

People wait in line at a food truck outside the Marietta Aquatic Center Wednesday evening as part of the annual Marietta Police Department’s Policeman’s Pool Party. (Photo by Michelle Dillon)