Crime & Safety

Cranford Police, Residents Gather for 28th Annual National Night Out

Families and public safety officials gathered for an event to promote crime prevention.

Children sat behind the wheel of a police car, slurped Italian ice, made friends with a giant, energy efficient lightbulb and listened as their parents mingled with local law enforcement Tuesday night during the Cranford Police Department's 28th annual National Night out event at the gazebo across the street from town hall.

"I just think it's great to show the kids everything police do to keep us safe," Cranford resident Dan Moroses said, as his 5-year-old son, Christian, climbed into a parked police cruiser and gripped the steering wheel.

National Night Out is a free, nationwide event designed to promote crime prevention awareness. Each year, residents gather in a central location where members of the police department are on hand to provide information about safety programs and conduct demonstrations. It also allows the public to interact with members of the police department and obtain information about the department's many programs.

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"We come every year for the awareness and to support the police," said Debra Nicholls who attended the festivities with her three children.

In addition to police vehicles, the event included a martial arts demonstration by the Tae Kwon Do Center of New Jersey, as well as representatives from organizations such as Robert Wood Johnson Health and Wellness Center, the American Red Cross and Project Porchlight, which distributed energy-efficient lightbulbs to residents.

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"It's our goal to get the world to go green," said David Edwards of Project Porchlight, a nonprofit arm of the Board of Public Utilities and NJ Clean Energy. Edwards donned a giant lightbulb costume and easily made friends with the children in attendance.

Lila Rose Williams, 4, who attended with her father Patrick Williams, watched the martial arts demonstration and insisted that her favorite part of the evening was the hand and face-painting booth. Patrick said he was glad to be there with his family.

"I think National Night Out is a fantastic idea. There's a nice sense of community," he said.

For the third year in a row, National Night Out included a blood drive. This year, the drive, hosted by PBA Local 52, was held in memory of Lakewood Police officer Christopher Matlosz, who was killed in the line of duty in January, while conducting a routine motor vehicle stop.

National Night Out has been held annually since 1984 and is sponsored by the National Association of Town Watch. Initially, communities held vigils that involved turning on their porch lights as a demonstration of solidarity and to send a message to criminals that their presence would not be tolerated in local neighborhoods. Since its inception, however, the event has expanded to include community block parties, festivals and other events to help bring neighbors together.



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