Evansville Police Foundation Offering Special Black Friday Registration Price for 2023 SWAT Challenge

If you're looking for the perfect gift to give that fitness buff or law enforcement supporter this holiday season, or maybe that's you and you want to treat yourself, the Evansville Police Foundation is offering a special deal on Black Friday for the 2023 edition of their annual SWAT Challenge 5K.

What is the Evansville Police Foundation SWAT Challenge?

The annual fundraising event features a course that begins at the Four Freedoms Monument and winds around the streets of downtown Evansville before ending just past the Korean War Memorial at the intersection of Riverside Drive and Walnut Street. But, unlike most 5K runs, this one kicks up the difficulty by featuring up to 21 obstacles you'll need to navigate before you cross the finish line.

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The 2023 edition is set for Saturday, May 6th beginning at 8:00 AM. Due to the large number of people who usually register, the run is broken up into waves with those waves taking off every 15 minutes until the final one at Noon.

2023 Evansville Police Foundation SWAT Challenge Black Friday Special

The cost to register for the Challenge is $40 per person. However, for four days only, you can save over 35% off that price during their Black Friday Special.

Beginning at midnight on Thanksgiving Day (Thursday, November 24th, 2022) until 11:59 PM on Sunday, November 27th, the Foundation is knocking $15 off the price meaning you and whoever is coming along with you can get registered for only $25 each through the online registration page.

What Money from the SWAT Challenge Benefits

Proceeds from the event will be used by the Foundation to help provide equipment and training to members of the SWAT Team. Now, you may be thinking, "Wait a minute, doesn't the city fund the department? That's what my tax dollars are for, right?" The answer is, "yes" to both questions. However, the department puts together a budget each year. That budget includes day-to-day operating costs, employee payroll, benefits, supplies, etc., etc. It will also include a variety of things the department would like to have for the upcoming year. That budget is submitted to the City Council which pours over it and makes the final decision on what will remain and what won't be based on the amount of tax revenue the City expects to bring in over the upcoming fiscal year. Keep in mind, the City has several departments that submit budgets and asks for things they'd like to have. As much as I'm sure they'd like to slap a stamp of approval on everything that's asked for, the Council must say no to a number of things because the money won't be there. That leaves each department looking for alternative ways to raise the funds they need to get the things they want.

2023 Evansville Police Foundation SWAT Challenge Obstacles

As noted above, the event will feature up to 21 obstacles that will test your stamina and physical abilities. Let's take a look at a few you'll need to navigate in order to reach the finish line.

Tactical Ladders

You'll need to climb the ladders into the second level of the parking garage at the intersection of 2nd and Locust Streets.

Hummer Military Crawl

Shortly after starting the race, your first challenge will be to army crawl your way under a few Evansville Police Department Hummers.

Monkey Bars

A more difficult version of the monkey bars you climbed in grade school. These bars feature a 45-degree angle forcing you to use all the arm strength you can muster to pull yourself up the angle before you can work your way back down.

The Shooting Range

You'll have to test your hand-eye coordination by firing a few rounds at the targets in front of you. While it's not specified what type of ammunition you'll be firing, it will not be actual bullets.

Other obstacles include The Death Star, Jumping Barricades, Jumping Cars (Dukes of Hazzard-style), and donut eating (this is for the Police Department after all ).