A nationwide event that celebrates joint efforts between communities and local law enforcement to keep neighborhoods safe will hold a bit more significance this year in the wake of recent shootings across the country.
Victorville, Hesperia, Apple Valley, Barstow and Silver Lakes will all host National Night Out events Tuesday evening. National Night Out is a nationally recognized event sponsored by the National Association of Town Watch and is supported by local law enforcement agencies throughout the country.
San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Victorville Station spokeswoman Mara Rodriguez said this year’s event will be a chance for unity within the community, describing it as “people supporting people.”
“Although this is an important event every year, tomorrow’s event will be a chance for our community to come together and show not only their support of law enforcement but for each other, which is what all communities need right now,” Rodriguez said.
“People from neighborhoods all across the city will have the opportunity to be in one location, where they can meet local first responders, business owners, city departments and each other. Any time we can bring people together for positive, face-to-face interaction, we create a greater comfort level and sense of community.”
With shootings of police officers and African-American men, as well as the rise of the "Black Lives Matter" movement, dominating headlines across the nation in recent months, many local law enforcement officials are stressing the need for citizens and officers to come together.
Events throughout the High Desert will focus on ways the community can get involved in providing safety within the city, with various demonstrations and informational booths on crime prevention and Neighborhood Watch programs, Citizen’s on Patrol and Explorer programs provided.
Barstow Sheriff’s Station Lt. Manny Mendoza said he believes the National Night Out event is important because it provides an opportunity to really engage with community members. The Barstow Sheriff’s Station will have a booth at the event hosted by the Barstow Police Department.
“These events are highly important for community engagement,” Mendoza said. “The more we engage with the community, the better understanding we will have of the community’s needs. We will let the community know that we are out here and doing our best to always bring a positive resolution because we are in the customer service business. Our goal is to always have a positive resolution.”
Apple Valley Sheriff’s Station Crime Prevention Officer Joy Ballinger described the annual event as a relaxed and fun environment for interactions with sheriff's deputies.
“This is a night for Apple Valley to stand together and promote awareness, safety and neighborhood unity,” Ballinger said. “Neighbors can come out to meet one another, talk with law enforcement and find out information on keeping their neighborhoods safe. We want the community to know that law enforcement is here for them and we really do take 'protect and serve' to heart. We have always had a great response from the community and this year we are expecting an even bigger turnout.”
In the Victor Valley, the events will take place from 5 to 8 p.m. at Victorville City Hall, 14343 Civic Drive in Victorville; the Super Target, 20288 Highway 18 in Apple Valley; and Hesperia Sheriff’s Station, 15840 Smoke Tree St. in Hesperia.
The Barstow Police Department is hosting its event from 6 to 9 p.m. at Dana Park, 850 Barstow Road.
While Adelanto will not be holding a formal event, city officials believe National Night Out is about residents in the community getting involved and demonstrating interest in crime prevention.
Adelanto Mayor Richard Kerr said law enforcement has been under attack throughout the country and National Night Out is a way to demonstrate “Blue Lives Matter.”
“It’s important that residents partner with law enforcement to work together to make our neighborhoods safer and for the past 32 years National Night Out has been the perfect time to highlight the importance of working together,” Kerr said. “We depend on our police to be there when we need them. The best thing that we can do is show them our support and make sure that we focus on crime prevention.”
For more information visit www.nno.org, or call your city, town hall or local sheriff’s station.