There’s only two possible endings here.

Will Bainbridge Island Police Chief Matthew Hamner savor the sweet flavor of victory?

Or will the chief choke on disconsolate defeat, one smothered in chocolate icing and multi-colored candy sprinkles?

Islanders will find out Tuesday night.

That’s when Bainbridge police once again host the “National Night Out” celebration at Town Square.

The free event — planned for 5 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 1 — is the police department’s yearly get-together with the community; a chance to strengthen ties between Bainbridge’s public safety providers and the residents they serve.

The family-friendly night will feature free food and activities, plenty of games (with prizes that include a child’s police bike, lunch with the chief, and a BIPD “swag bag”), equipment displays and more.

The highlight, though, will be a “doughnut-eating challenge” where islanders can battle Bainbridge’s top cop.

Last year’s National Night Out featured a pie-eating contest between islanders and Chief Hamner, and he proved to be a crusty competitor. And this year, with the odds again seemingly stacked in the chief’s favor — we are talking cops and doughnuts, after all — islanders may have to raise the (maple) bar to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.

Hamner gave few hints about his strategy going into the contest.

“Right now, I am not eating any sweets, so by the time Aug. 1 arrives, I will be craving sugar,” he said.

Hamner admitted, as well, a fair bit of home field advantage on the objects to be eaten: “I am a subject matter expert.”

Even so, there is always a twist or two in the contest, thanks to Officer Carla Sias, the organizer of the Night Out chief’s challenge.

In last year’s pie-eating contest, for example, the final showdown between Hamner and Chief for a Day Zoe Henry saw Zoe devouring a regular-size pie, while the chief was given “an extra special very large one” to eat, Sias recalled.

The doughnut challenge certainly won’t be a cake walk for the chief, or his competitors.

Ten lucky winners will each have to eat a doughnut while being handcuffed, while the chief will have his own surprise component — and it’s something that may leave him a bit glazed and confused.

To be honest, this is something we can’t sugar coat: Beating the chief in a doughnut challenge will be a formidable feat. But win, lose or draw, for the community, spending the evening with our dedicated public servants at National Night Out is certainly icing on the cake.