More than 30 neighborhoods across Naperville took part in the city’s annual National Night Out celebration on Tuesday, including the Brookdale neighborhood, where police chief Jason Arres and Mayor Scott Wehrli kicked off their night.
Similar to last year, this year’s National Night Out was a two-day affair in Naperville, with festivities kicking off on Monday night at the Fry YMCA before the official city-wide celebration the next day.
At the Brookdale Racquetball Club, residents gathered for an evening of food, music and other entertainment.
“This is our 50th anniversary of this neighborhood, so we’re really all about celebrating people coming together. We like to say we’re the best neighborhood in Naperville. It’s really the people that make this so special. So you’ll see people, neighbors, connecting and bonding,” said Megan Happ, National Night Out coordinator for the Brookdale Neighborhood Association.
The neighborhood was the first stop of the night for Arres and Wehrli before they ventured out to other areas for the city’s 29th annual celebration.
Police chief emphasizes building trust
The police chief said the event is one he regularly looks forward to, as it allows him to build relationships with members of the Naperville community.
“It’s a chance for myself and the mayor to get out, and other law enforcement, and visit different neighborhoods. A lot of listening is going to happen today. We want to hear what’s going on, what kinds of issues or good things are happening in their neighborhood. It’s just a great way to connect with the community,” said Arres.
He also noted the importance of building trust with community members, especially the young people.
“A lot of times, kids see us in tough moments. This is a great opportunity to see that we’re like their mom or their dad, human beings, seeing the human side,” he said.
Mayor Wehrli talks community engagement
Experiencing his third National Night Out as mayor, Wehrli emphasized the importance of connecting with members of the community face-to-face to better understand their needs.
“What’s so important about this event is that we get out there, we hear what’s going on in the community, and they get to hear from us,” said Wehrli.
He explained that the one-on-one interactions that happen between law enforcement and Naperville residents help “maintain that small-town feel,” despite the city being the third-largest in the state.
As they prepared to embark on their tour, Wehrli encouraged residents to continue working alongside law enforcement to keep the community safe.
“What really makes the community special and safe is when all of our residents, all of our businesses, they all participate in that public safety process, which means we communicate, we understand what each other’s concerns are, we watch out for one another,” said Wehrli.
If you have a story idea, we want to hear from you!
