By Rodd Cayton
As law enforcement agencies across the country work to bond with the communities they serve, local departments are offering a variety of ways to reinforce that connection on Aug. 4.
National Night Out began in 1984 and takes place the second Tuesday in August in hundreds of locations in 49 states and various U.S. territories and on military bases worldwide. Agencies from Estancia to Bernalillo are joining in.
The City of Albuquerque has embraced National Night Out and its goal of building partnerships between police and the community and strengthening neighborhoods, according to senior crime prevention specialist Laura Kuehn of the Albuquerque Police Department. “As a crime prevention and community policing strategy, it builds relationships and provides a casual environment for people to ask questions, express concerns, or simply have a conversation,” she told NewMexico.news.
Kuehn said events in the city typically draw 15 to more than 100 attendees, as events across Albuquerque include intimate block parties and large neighborhood gatherings. Neighborhood activities will vary, she said, but there will be ice cream socials, school supply drives, bike giveaways for kids and live music.
Bernalillo Police Chief Chris Stoyell said his department will mark the event at 7:30 p.m. at Rotary Park, 202 Rotary Park Road. This is an opportunity to bring police & neighbors together to enhance relationships.
BPD Officer Clint Sandoval said a number of businesses will participate, bringing snacks, games, children’s toys and mascots. He said events will last until about 9:30. Police will provide hamburgers and hot dogs, and K-9 Officer Diesel will meet the community, and visitors will see the bike patrol unit’s fancy new rides.
Corrales has been observing National Night Out for about 30 years, Police Chief Victor Mangiacapra said. He said its goal is to create a safer village by building and strengthening community-police relationships in casual settings, fostering neighborhood camaraderie, raising awareness of criminal activity and encouraging residents to look out for each other and report suspicious activity. He said Corrales hosts three to eight functions each year, with 75 to 250 people attending. This year, Mangiacapra said, there will be gatherings in the El Rey Drive, Tierra De Corrales, Ranchitos Road and West Ella Drive neighborhoods.
Rio Rancho Police will be at the Mariposa Community Center from 3 to 7 p.m., and at the Cabezon block party on Pincel Road between Tulipan Loop SE and Vista De Colinas Drive from 6 to 8 p.m.
Torrance County’s National Night Out is at the County Fairgrounds in Estancia, from 5 to 8 p.m. The county’s website promises “exhibitors, first responders, games, food and fun!”
“National Night Out is always a good time,” Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller said in a news release. “It’s a way to feel like you’re not just living in the City but really part of it.”