LOCAL POLICE TO HOST NATIONAL NIGHT OUT
The Norwich, New London and Groton Town police departments will participate in the annual National Night Out on Tuesday, with events in the three municipalities that will feature free food, emergency response demonstrations and the chance to meet local police officers and firefighters.
The 35th annual National Night Out will take place from 6 to 9 p.m. in Norwich at the Howard T. Brown Memorial Park at Norwich Harbor. In Groton, the event will run from 5 to 8 p.m. at Poquonnock Plains Park, and in New London the event will run from 5 to 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at Ocean Beach Park.
The New London event will be hosted by the New London Leadership Academy at Bennie Dover Jackson Middle School, New London police and the New London Police Union.
National Night Out provides a chance for the public to interact with police officers who work in their neighborhoods, schools and workplaces in a non-emergency setting.
Norwich police Sgt. Peter Camp said officers have received feedback that this interaction has greatly improved the relationship between police and Norwich citizens.
“Improving police-community relations and communication makes it more difficult for those who wish to commit crimes in our city,” Camp said in a news release announcing the event. “Last year’s event was one of the most successful to date drawing an estimated 3,000 attendees.”
The Norwich event includes free food and drinks, a live broadcast provided by Jammin’ 107.7, giveaways, an inflatable obstacle course, numerous demonstrations and attendance by other emergency providers, including the Norwich Fire Department, East Great Plain Volunteer Fire Department, American Ambulance, the Army National Guard, the William W. Backus Hospital, the U.S. Coast Guard and Hartford Hospital’s Life Star medical helicopter.
For information on the Norwich event, contact Officer Dennis Bialowas at (860) 8865561, ext. 63507, or dbialowas@ cityofnorwich.org.
The Groton event also will have free food, a chance to meet police, firefighters and other emergency personnel, as well as K-9 demonstrations and a Life Star helicopter.