National Night Out is usually the first Tuesday in August, however, local officials decided it was just too hot at this time of year to do so in Texas.
Several law enforcement agencies decided to postpone the first Tuesday in October, as they expected the temperatures to be more hospitable.
Established in 1984, the events are not just about bringing neighbors together, to being a bridge between police and their communities that, in the words of its national campaign, “will make our neighborhoods safer and more caring places to live.”
“I know there are neighborhoods in other cities that come out and have a block party,” said Carmen McKenney, who is an records clerk and administrative assistant for Freeport’s Criminal Investigations Division. She has been involved in the Freeport event for the past 10 years.
“For some reason here in the South, in our area, it’s just not done that way. They do it in one place,” she said.
This year, counties of all sizes are participating, from the Village of Jones Creek to Lake Jackson. Even Brazosport College is getting in on the act with its inaugural event that focuses on campus policing.
In many cases, other officials and first responders will also participate, including firefighters, EMS, game wardens and beyond.
In an attempt to further connect with the community, the Brazosport College Police Department is set to host its first-ever National Night Out event on campus at 500 College Drive in Lake Jackson.
“National Night Out is a fantastic annual national event that hopes to promote partnerships and build camaraderie with our neighbors in the community,” said Brazosport College Police Chief Chad Leveritt. “As part of Crime Prevention Month, held in the month of October, National Night Out is one of many events that Brazosport College Policing and Student Life Services will be hosting to provide safety and crime prevention tips, and a chance to visit and learn a bit about British Columbia.
The college event is scheduled for 6-8 p.m. Tuesday at Brazosport College’s Red Lot near the Dow Academic Center, Leveritt said.
The event will include inflatables, games, free food and a chance to meet and visit Brazosport College police officers.
“National Night Out is a great opportunity for students and the community to socialize with our police officers,” Leveritt said. “And also gives officers a chance to show their appreciation for the endless support the community gives to British Columbia.”
The event is open to the public and the department hopes to make it an annual event, he said.
“Events such as National Night Out, along with other community events, are an opportunity for our police department to connect with students and the community, which is very important to us,” Leveritt said.
Going back to pre-pandemic national nighttime events, the Angleton Police Department plans to attend 12 block parties across the city instead of the parade style they have been doing for the past two years, Sgt . said Ernest DeLosSantos.
“We used to do a parade style event, and now it’s block parties, so this year we’re going back to that style of event,” he said. “It is citizens from the entire community who organize these neighborhood parties. We will have three teams. Everyone will be responsible for going to certain parties, and we will all meet at Triumph Church.
From around 6-8.30pm on Tuesday, teams will stop at First Missionary Church, Angleton Heritage Court, Oak Park Court, Cambridge Apartments, Alexander Court, 1900 block of Mulberry Street, Orchard Park, St. Johns Lutheran Church, 200 block of East Bronco Bend and 2700 block of North Velasco Street.
“We will distribute goody bags to children at the various block parties,” he said. “It’s a way for us to associate with the community and engage with the community, to gain their trust and for them to meet us and show them that we are human, just like them. We will talk with the participants neighborhood party.
Due to the number of events, the Brazoria County Sheriff’s Office is teaming up with the Angleton Police Department and also hitting some of the locations, as well as Savannah Plantation, a neighborhood next to FM 1462.
The city’s National Night will take place from 6-7:30 p.m. Tuesday at Clute City Park.
“It will, of course, be fire, EMS and city vehicles,” Clute Police Chief James Fitch said. “It will be a time for people to come out and interact with the whole city.”
There will also be food, a bouncy house, and dunk tanks.
The origin of National Night Out was people going out and meeting their neighbors, he said.
“Cities have grown so big that they’re too thin to go in and hang out with people, because if we went from neighborhood to neighborhood, we’d be here for about 10 minutes and move on to the next one,” Fitch said. . “It’s a central place where everyone can come and everyone can interact together.”
The Freeport Police Department will hold a rally from 6-8 p.m. at Freeport City Park.
Refreshments including hot dogs and fries will be served to guests.
“A lot of different churches and organizations are coming out and having tables,” McKenney said. “People I spoke to said, ‘Oh yeah, we’ll be there! “”
There will also be a DJ playing music and a petting zoo for children’s enjoyment.
“It’s just one night for the community to get out and get together and meet and learn about fire and EMS,” McKenney said. “Firefighters will be out and they will bring units to the event.”
From 5 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Tuesday, the Colony of Iowa Police Department will visit various blocks in the Meridiana Subdivision, Colony of Iowa Police Chief Aaron Bell said.
“We go to neighborhoods and areas of the city that let us know they’re having block parties,” Bell said. “We team up with the firefighters, and we hit them both. Right now there are about three. We want to get to know the community and get to know that on an individual basis.
The city will celebrate National Night with a meeting of first responders at 6 p.m. Tuesday at McLean Park, 93 Lake Road.
Representatives from police, fire, EMS and citizens on patrol will be there to interact with the community, Lake Jackson Training Sgt. said Nick Ross.
“It will be similar to our touch-a-truck events,” he said.
Children and community members can explore the response vehicles inside and out, Ross said.
There are also a few citizen events throughout the city where first responders have been invited to make appearances. These will not be listed because they are private events hosted by residents, Ross said.
“We wanted to get back to the tradition – how it came about so citizens could interact with the police in their community,” he said.
Departments want to start traveling to neighborhoods again to meet with the community where they feel comfortable, such as at barbecues or dinners hosted by community neighborhoods, Ross said.
From 6-9 p.m., the Jones Creek Marshal’s Office invites the community for an evening of fun and camaraderie with neighbors and first responders. The office offers fire truck rides, a bouncy house, and free hot dogs.
Prior to the event, baked goods donations will be accepted at City Hall for a Cake Walk.
The office is at 7207 Stephen F. Austin Road. For more information, attendees are encouraged to call 979-233-3091.
Richwood National Night is 6-9 p.m. Tuesday at Ellis Park in Richwood.
The event will feature free hot dogs and popcorn, as well as an inflatable bouncy house, a DJ providing music, a climbing wall and garden games.
LifeFlight, EMS and Fire Department, plans to participate with the Richwood Police Department.
“The idea is to improve relations between the public, the police and your neighbors, but if we can take it to the next level,” Richwood Police Chief Stephen Mayer said.
National Night Out is one of Mayer’s favorite events every year, he said.
“A lot of times when we interact with people, it’s in a negative environment and it’s a positive environment,” Mayer said.
Although the Sweeny Police Department is not officially hosting any National Night Out events, the Windmill Run Apartments at 300 Silverleaf Road have invited local law enforcement officials to speak to children to encourage young residents to stay on track.
“I want to make sure we can get them on the right track and on the right track and what they need to do,” said Meshel McGregor, resident coordinator for Portfolio Residential Services.
All children who wish to attend are welcome.
From 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at First Capitol Park, there will be hot dogs and a bouncy house for kids to celebrate National Night Out, West Columbia Lt. Ashley Baker said.
“We haven’t had one since COVID, so I’ve never done a national night for the city,” Baker said. “We had something put in the neighborhoods, and we were going, but no neighborhood told us that they were putting anything in place. It will help us meet the members of the community, so they know who we are and we know who they are.
