We have to be careful with these water gun fights, they're getting intense! 😬 pic.twitter.com/Zq5PibeQap — Dixon Police (@DixonPolice) July 21, 2016 ...

We have to be careful with these water gun fights, they're getting intense! 😬 pic.twitter.com/Zq5PibeQap — Dixon Police (@DixonPolice) July 21, 2016

DIXON, Illinois — These officers take “beat the heat” seriously, and have invited area families to join them in a water gun fight.

On their Twitter account, the department makes a call to parents, telling them to send a private tweet to @DixonPolice to tell the cops where they should show up for some hot weather fun.

Dixon Police clerk Bob McCoy said the shenanigans were the brainchild of Officer Lincoln Sharp, who was driving around last week feeling jealous of kids squirting each other with water guns.

“That’s kind of how his brain works,” McCoy said.

Then, when the heat wave hit, Sharp decided the water wars just had to happen.

But of course, being safety conscious, the officers made sure parents knew what was going on and got their permission before “attacking”.

(1/3) Think we were kidding about escaping the heat today? We're dead serious! Parents: if you live in town and your pic.twitter.com/2YqWDuFZKD — Dixon Police (@DixonPolice) July 21, 2016

(2/3) kids want a quick water gun fight, do the following: Draft a new private tweet, tag @DixonPolice, include a picture of your gladiators — Dixon Police (@DixonPolice) July 21, 2016