By Don Steen ~ Staff Writer • [email protected]
The City of Rockport was filled with sirens, police cruisers, and foot patrols Saturday evening, but this time at least it was all in good fun. While officers were still out and about responding to calls (including one accident in town), most of them were participating in Rockport’s inaugural “Hide and Seek from the Police” event. A total of 34 participants were given 10 minutes to hide anywhere from Rockport City Park to the riverfront, and tasked with evading the police for about two hours. At around 6 p.m., hiders had to leave their hiding spots and make their way to Rockport City Hall without being caught.
Only a few evaded capture, and more than a few were caught on their return journey. One hider managed to stealthily reposition themselves under the stage only a few feet from the finish line, only to be ferreted out with three minutes to go.
The winner this year was Micah Mackey, who spent most of the evening hiding on the Courthouse grounds along with a few others who made it or almost made it to the end. Several others filed in, having spent their evening gathering mud and grass stains on the other end of town.
Those too young to participate in the event acted as enthusiastic observers, and occasional informants. Rumors of where people were hiding began to spread through social media as the event drew on. It’s safe to say Hide and Seek from the Police will become a regular affair, given the reception at night’s end.
On the police side of things, Chief David Hall’s grandson, Colton Hall, saw great success during his time as an honorary deputy. He had 13 collars under his belt by night’s end, earning him a plaque stating “I hid from the law, and the law won!”
Featured Image: Honorary Deputy Colton Hall, Chief David Hall’s grandson, catches hider Carter Harrison during the “Hide and Seek from the Police” event in Rockport
Clockwise, from top left: Austin Bruner searches for hiders in the woods; Colton Hall is awarded his plaque; Rockport police officers nab a hider who steathily and cleverly positioned themselves underneath the event stage
