Every October, the national spotlight turns to the battle against breast cancer. In Washington, the community “Paints the Town Pink” on Breast Cancer Awareness Day, in which employees wear pink, and many store owners decorate display windows and offer discounts to pink-wearing customers.

This year, law enforcement is joining in the fight, with the first-ever Washington Police Cancer Drive, in which residents will be invited to paint the vehicles pink at the annual Smoke on the Water barbecue contest Oct. 19.

“We are going to be there from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Anybody that wants to participate, they have the opportunity to have their hand all over a police car and fire truck,” said Kimberly Grimes, outreach coordinator for the Washington Police Department.

For a donation, supporters of the fight against breast cancer can dip a hand in pink paint and make their mark — or handprint — on a law enforcement vehicle.

There’s no set donation, Grimes said.

“Whatever donation people want to make is fine, but every single penny is going to the cancer center,” Grimes explained, stressing the WPD’s desire to designate the collected money to be used within the county, by donating to the Marion L. Shepard Cancer Center.

Police Chief Stacy Drakeford sees the event as an opportunity to continue the WPD’s outreach work in the community.

“This is another step in that process … We, as a department, need to be in the community more. As we forge those community lines, I would hope that it would help us to help increase the quality of life here, just by having an interaction that’s not really police-related,” Drakeford said.

“Everybody in some fashion has been touched by cancer,” he added.

Drakeford said the shade of pink paint that will decorate Police and Fire Services official vehicles has not yet been selected, but it will be the washable kind.

Grimes said the fundraiser will be held right in the middle of Smoke on the Water action, in the Washington-Beaufort County Chamber of Commerce parking lot on Stewart Parkway.

“The vehicles will be there as long as they’re not needed for service that day,” Grimes said.