Volunteers assist with National Night Out 2009
August 5, 2009 by Administrator
Filed under Citizens Mobile Patrol, Police Explorers, Recent News Articles, Special Skills Volunteers, VIPS
Some 25 volunteers, members of the Department’s “Volunteers In Police Service”, participated in last night’s National Night Out 2009.
America’s Night Out Against Crime involves citizens, law enforcement agencies, fire departments, civic groups, businesses, neighborhood organizations and local officials and is designed to:
- Heighten crime and drug prevention awareness
- Generate support for, and participation in, local anticrime programs
- Strengthen neighborhood spirit and police-community partnerships
- Send a message to criminals letting them know that neighborhoods are organized and fighting back
In Palm Beach Gardens the event was held in three distinct locations:
- Masters Park in PGA National
- NorthMil Plaza
- Evergrene Clubhouse
In all three locations volunteers were on hand to help give out Crime Watch and CarSmarts information and to distribute NNO mementos of the evening. In each location demos were given of the department’s K9 patrols, SWAT team and Mobile Command Post. Motorcycle officers escorted the caravan as it moved from location to location. Police Explorers were on hand to assist with crowd control and to escort McGruff the Crime Dog through the crowds.
Deputy Mayor Levy and Councilman Premuroso were on hand and declared that: “The fact that the nation celebrates National Night Out, under the auspices of National Association of Town Watch (NATW), gives residents and police officers a feeling of bonding and moral support. The entire nation is celebrating at the same time which shows that we are a supporting team – fighting together to keep crime out of our streets.”
The event was a major success thanks to the efforts of numerous individual officers, volunteers, elected officials, and most importantly, the residents of our city. And once again Palm Beach Gardens is in the running for an award by the NATW who sponsors National Night Out. The city has won an award for the past 6 consecutive years.. and is very hopeful of winning again in 2009.
Special thanks goes out to Officer Tara Headman who was the overall coordinator of this year’s event.