The Redmond Police Department (RPD) wants to brighten your day — literally.

Beginning on Saturday, Redmond police officers will be taking an extra step to make pedestrians safer by handing out flashing red reflectors so walkers and bikers can be seen easier.

Officers will be handing out the reflectors during the evening hours as the sun goes down and at this weekend’s Derby Days Summer Festival, according to police spokesperson Jim Bove.

“We always try to make citizens safer through enforcement, education, and ongoing communication with our community,” Operations Commander Shari Shovlin said. “We hope this will allow officers to make a connection with pedestrians in a non-intrusive manner.  It’s easy to see police officers in the role of enforcer, but in the end we want our residents and visitors to be safer.”

So just because a Redmond police officer contacts you, it doesn’t mean you’re in trouble — it may be to light you up with a safety reflector, according to Shovlin.

Here are some walking safety tips:

• Wear bright colored or reflective clothing.

• Walk facing traffic.

• Cross only at corners where drivers can see you.

• Be alert: use a crosswalk when it is available, but remember painted lines cannot force drivers to stop.

•  Obey signs and signals.

• Always look left, right, then left again before crossing a street, even if there is a “walk” signal flashing.  Continue being aware of traffic until you have crossed the street.

Here are some bicycling safety tips:

• Always wear a bicycle helmet.

• Obey all traffic rules and signs — give proper hand signals and yield the right of way to pedestrians.

• Walk your bike across busy intersections by using the push button to activate the pedestrian signal and making sure traffic has stopped.

• Always ride single file and watch for opening car doors.

• Use a headlight or reflector when riding at night.