Princeton Police build connections at Community Night Out

Princeton had families laughing, swimming and eating for Community Night Out as officers built stronger connections with the residents they serve.

On a warm and sunny Aug. 4 evening, the Princeton Police Department’s version of National Night Out, an annual community-building campaign to build trust between police departments and communities, took place in front of the Community Park Pool entrance and in the parking lot at 400 Witherspoon St.

“This event is something that we at the Princeton Police Department look forward to every single year. The chance to bring the police department, community partners, and members of our community together in the same atmosphere and same purpose of just growing the community and relationships is something we truly value,” Princeton Police Chief Matthew Solovay said.

“We have been running this event for over 15 years. This is my 22nd year at the police department and is something every single year, every officer wants to be here and meet members of the community.”

Solovay noted how events such as Community Night Out help the department do its job by creating relationships.

“Building relationships is absolutely essential to our mission in the police department to not only police the community but be part of the community. Events such as this help grow the relationship and makes policing easier,” he added.

“We have great relationships with Princeton Fire Department, Princeton First Aid & Rescue Squad, all of the partner agencies that are here. To have them all in the same location also helps grow the relationship and partnerships between those agencies. All great agencies and organizations that came out they reach out to members of our Community Relations Bureau because they want to be a part of it.”

The Princeton Police Department and Policemen’s Benevolent Association Local 130 hosted the free event, which also had involvement from the Recreation Department and other partners.

This is the first year the police department invited the Citizens Police Bureau Academy graduates to set up a table and talk about their experience in the citizens police academy. They showcased the relationships that have been built through the program.

Officer Dimitrios Stoupas, one of the organizers of Community Night Out and a member of the police department’s Community Relations Bureau, said this year’s event was the largest Community Night Out ever in getting local organizations and first responders to join.

“We usually get about 25 to 30 max vendors and organizations. This year so far, we have gotten 42,” he said. “With emails, communications, logistics and everything done it took us a few months for sure. It was definitely worth it and would not have happened if I did not have support from my supervisor and the command.”

Some changes this year were some of the locations in the parking lot to allow for the freedom of movement around vendors.

“I get passionate about the community aspect of policing. There is a new event we are hopefully push out in August too is the Walk and Talk,” Stoupas added.

“I don’t believe any department in the country has it and is about us with the community going for a walk in the beautiful downtown of Princeton sharing a cup of coffee or tea and conversation. You get to know more about me, and I get to know more about you.”

They can bring experts to the walk and talk for areas such as traffic safety.

Stoupas can reach out to the department’s traffic safety expert, and during the 45-minute walk in Princeton, residents can have the ability to ask the questions without being intimidated or tied to a specific environment.

“I want people to feel prideful to have department like ours when they leave Community Night Out. I want them to feel closer to us and have trust in having conversations with us,” he said.

During Community Night Out, children lined up to get their very own balloon animals made, cool themselves off with cups of Rita’s Italian Ice, grab hot dogs grilled and assembled by Princeton police officers, swim in the Community Park Pool for free and enjoy their very own airbrush tattoos.

“This is my second time here. [Community Night Out] is nice and fun,” said Brad Dickerson, a Princeton resident. “I think events like this are extremely important to not feel disconnected and there is support around town. It is good for kids to see each other and people to get to know each other and socialize.”

The evening included children lined up to get their chance to dunk a Princeton police officer by throwing yellow balls at a red dot. At times when throws were made, officers hit the red dot with their own hands to dunk an officer for children.

A father lifted his young daughter to use her own hand to push the red dot to dunk an officer.

Anthony Peluso, a Princeton resident, came out to Community Night Out with his family for the first time.

“I just appreciate it. I appreciate that there is an opportunity to come out here and meet new people,” he said.

“This is why we are here in Princeton. For the community and for the culture. These things we try to frequent as much as possible so we can get the experience. My first stop is the bouncy inflatables.”

Local organizations joined the event, such as Sustainable Princeton, Princeton YMCA, Princeton Public Library, Princeton Youth Soccer League, Princeton Girl Scouts, Princeton University and Younity.

A DJ played music through the evening, and children raced each other in three different inflatable bouncy house courses. Adults and children were able to explore a First Aid & Rescue Squad ambulance, a Princeton Fire Company No. 1 engine and its equipment, and a First Aid Squad heavy rescue engine.

Princeton’s Community Night Out joined other National Night Out events, which are part of an annual national community-building campaign that was created to make communities safer and build trust between individual communities and their police departments.

There are 17,000 other communities and their local law enforcement agencies nationwide and in U.S. territories celebrating National Night Out each year in August.

The event, which just concluded its 43rd 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.