Area residents are invited to join the city of Daleville in celebrating its first National Night Out Aug. 6 from 4-8 p.m. at Culpepper Park.
National Night Out is an annual event held every first Tuesday in August to promote the public’s involvement in crime prevention activities as well as to build camaraderie between the police and community.
“We’re very excited about having our first National Night Out,” Daleville Department of Public Safety Chief Harvey Mathis said. “We’re inviting all the public to come. It will be an opportunity for the community and the law enforcement to get together.”
Daleville’s NNO will have several civic organizations and law enforcement groups on hand including the Daleville Department of Public Safety, Dale County Sheriff’s Office, Fort Rucker civilian and military law enforcement personnel, Alabama National Guard, the American Red Cross and the Coalition for a Drug Free Dale County.
The event is free and open to the public.
Activities for the event include a bounce house, water slide, dunking booth and fire truck with sprinkler system.
“We want everybody to know to bring something their children can get wet in and a towel,” Sgt. Levi Dahlquist, school resource officer and organizer for the event, said.
Law enforcement personnel will be there to meet and greet the residents as well as to show off the tools of their trade.
Equipment on display will include police vehicles, fire trucks, rescue squad vehicles, Special Reaction Team vans, static displays and the Dale County Sheriff’s Office helicopters.
Daleville’s newest K-9 unit, officer Kevin Cheatwood and German Shepherd working dog Quno von der Plassenburg, will also be there to get to know the residents.
Adam Bruhn, with Project Lifesaver, will be talking to residents about the lifesaving device and the National Guard will have an explosive ordinance depot demonstration.
The famous Scruff McGruff will also be making a special appearance for the youth.
“It’s an opportunity for us to get out there and for the citizens to meet all the officers,” Dahlquist said. “Not just in a call situation, but in a different situation when you can shake their hands, meet them and talk to them. It’s also for the kids, so they know they can come up and talk to us too.”
A crime lab or fingerprint station will be available for the kids to enjoy and for parents to take home.
“It is an inkless pad,” Dahlquist said. “It has a fingerprint area so you can print all the kids and you can put a lock of hair in it, so if the kids go missing you have everything you need for the police.”
Free food and drinks will also be provided, including snow cones and popcorn.
“We just want the community to know that we’re here for them,” Dahlquist said. “We also want to build a stronger bond with the citizens so they can come to us for anything.”
This year will mark the 30th anniversary of the National Night Out event, which is sponsored by the National Association of Town Watch.
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