CONNECTICUT, USA — National Night Out is recognized every first Tuesday in August. The goal is for cities and towns to put on events to improve relationships between police and the communities they serve.
Dozens of police departments in Connecticut participated in this event.
“Without the support of the community we can’t do our job, so it’s events like this that really support that,” said Waterbury Deputy Chief John Napiello.
He’s talking about National Night Out, an annual event where police officers and other officials gather to try and bridge the gap between law enforcement and the community.
Especially at a time that Waterbury Deputy Chief said is needed as the city has seen an increase in crime this year. A 17-year-old young man is seriously injured after being shot on Monday night.
“The city is struggling a little bit with some crime, and I think if everyone can come out together and support the police and support your community, it’s a win for everybody,” said Napiello.
“We’re trying to take a town and turn it into a community. This is the type of event that does just that,” said East Hartford Mayor Michael Walsh.
East Hartford has recently seen an uptick in crime too, but the chief credits the communities’ trust for helping them get solved.
“We have an outstanding detective bureau, but why we’re so successful here in East Hartford is because of the community,” said Chief Scott M. Sansom.
People in these communities said events like National Night Out continue to cultivate that trust.
“We all really need to work together to make this city the best it can be.”
Nationally, this event has been happening for 40 years.
DeAndria Turner is a multi-media journalist at FOX61 News. She can be reached at dturner@fox61.com.
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