Naperville started its National Night Out celebrations one day early with a free community event on Monday at the Fry Family YMCA, 2120 95th St.
“National Night Out is but a great way to kick the festivities off,” said Naperville Police Chief Jason Arres. “We have treats here, there’s a movie that’s going to be shown tonight, BearCat’s here, we’ve got all different kinds of things on exhibit for families to learn about.”
Community event connects Naperville police and residents
Also known as “America’s Night Out Against Crime,” the annual event has become a tradition for police and fire departments across the country to strengthen relationships with area residents while also heightening crime awareness and drug prevention.
“Everybody sees policing or thinks policing, and it’s the uniform, right? There’s so much more depth to what we do as a police department, and this is a nice way to scratch that surface and learn a little bit more about the great things our men and women are doing,” said Arres.
Monday’s event was eventually moved inside due to thunderstorms, but the weather didn’t dampen the spirits of those at the YMCA. Folks enjoyed family-friendly activities, a magician, and a showing of Disney’s “Lilo and Stitch.”
Among the attendees was Congressman Bill Foster (IL-11).
“This is a great start to National Night Out in Naperville… we’re very proactive about making sure that kids and police know they’re on the same team, making Naperville safer for everybody,” Foster said.
Naperville’s National Night Out continues Tuesday
Over 40 Naperville neighborhoods will host National Night Out celebrations on Tuesday, Aug. 6.
Naperville’s city officials, police department, fire department, public works, and utility departments will attend many local events.
The list of participating neighborhoods and event times can be found on the city’s website.
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