Hopewell Valley’s National Night Out: ‘Building positive relationships’

Thunderstorms may have postponed the initial date for National Night Out in Hopewell Valley but the show went on when festivities continued on Aug. 13.

When residents from Hopewell Township, Pennington and Hopewell Borough, as well as visitors arrived at Stony Brook Elementary in Pennington they enjoyed another year of fun activities, food, DJ music and getting to meet the men and women of local law enforcement and emergency services.

The annual event is designed to strengthen the bonds between the police and community with an evening of fun and food.

“A big shoutout to everyone who joined us for National Night Out this past Tuesday,” the Hopewell Township Police Department posted on its Facebook page on Aug. 17. “It was fantastic to see such strong community support and connect with our local police departments.

“Building positive relationships with our officers is so important, and your participation made a real difference.”

Organized by the Hopewell Township Policemen Benevolent Association (PBA) Local 342 and the police department, National Night Out at Stony Brook Elementary featured a dunk tank, where children could throw a ball and dunk an officer; a rock climbing activity, where children took turns climbing a rock climbing structure; and taking a ride in a fire truck ladder bucket.

The Pennington Police Department joined the township police department, along with Hopewell Valley emergency services, Hopewell Township Public works and local fire companies.

Hopewell Township, Pennington, and Hopewell Borough has joined 17,000 other communities and their local law enforcement nationwide and in U.S. territories celebrating National Night Out each year in August.

The event, which is in its 41st year, was introduced nationally in 1984 as an annual community building campaign created to make communities safer and build trust between communities and their police departments, according to the National Association of Town Watch, which sponsors the event.

Communities have celebrated with each other by either hosted block parties, parades, or cookouts.