MORRIS TOWNSHIP – For the 14th year, Morris County’s Annual National Night Out event was held on Tuesday, August 2 at the Mennen Sports Arena in Morris Township.
The local take on the national event was held from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. offering a variety of free attractions, including food, drinks, live entertainment, ice-skating, and giveaways.
Fire, police, and rescue personnel were on hand to demonstrate a range of skills and equipment used in helping protect Morris County residents.
“This is a perfect event to bring together our police, fire and county rescue teams with county residents, to have them explain what they do, talk about important community crime and safety efforts, and also to have a good time at the ice rink on a hot summer night,’’ said Morris County Freeholder Douglas Cabana in a statement.
The Morris County Park Police offered registration for their Child ID cards, an initiative launched in 2000 that has registered more than 1,000 children annually.
Mennen Arena is located at 161 East Hanover Avenue, Morris Township.
National Night Out, which began in 1984, is an annual nationwide communituilding campaign that promotes police-community partnerships and neighborhood camaraderie to make neighborhoods safer and better places to live. It provides an opportunity to bring police and residents together in a positive setting, while promoting a countywide sense of community.
Neighborhoods across the nation host block parties, festivals, parades, cookouts and other community events with safety demonstrations, seminars, youth events, visits from emergency personnel and exhibits.
The National Night Out event in Morris County had a special focus on families, and the police, rescue and emergency services available to them.
Visitors were able to investigate the essential equipment of police, fire, and emergency teams, including motorcycles, ambulances, all-terrain vehicles, fire engines, and squad cars.
“The Morris County National Night Out for the past seven years has received national recognition because it offers a comprehensive array of participating agencies to educate the public on available community services,” said newly appointed Park Police Chief Gabriel DiPietro.
Each year since 2007, the National Association of Town Watch has named the Morris County’s National Night Out event a national award winner.
The Park Police Department currently patrols park facilities in cars and on motorcycles, bicycles, all-terrain vehicles, and horses to ensure public safety.
