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Hubbard Twp. police set for National Night Out
By robert Guttersohn
Hubbard
Hubbard Township’s police officers will join 15,000 other police departments nationwide in the National Night Out event Tuesday at the Harding Park Bandstand.
The free event from 6 to 8 p.m. will have food, gift-card raffles and a softball game pitting Hubbard Township police vs. Hubbard city police at 4 p.m.
Officer Greg Tarr said about 200 people showed up last year for National Night Out. At this year’s event, he’s hoping for 500 people.
Beyond the fun, Tarr said the event will bring the community closer to the police department.
“It allows the public to come see us in a nonwork setting,” Tarr said.
He said outside of a few, police officers will be dressed in civilian clothing.
“It makes us more approachable,” Tarr said. “They’ll be more likely to come to us in the future with information.”
The event also will include presentations to heighten drug awareness.
Police also will hand out child identification kits that include a DNA swab and a home fingerprinting set.
For next year, the township police are hoping to share the event with the Hubbard city police and include a downtown parade.
In Youngstown, National Night Out events will center at Wick Park on the city’s North Side. A parade and picnic are planned beginning at 5 p.m. Parade lineup begins at 4:30 p.m. at Elm Street and Broadway.
In its 28th year in the U.S., National Night Out is designed to:
Heighten crime and drug-prevention awareness.
Generate support for and participation in local anticrime programs.
Strengthen neighborhood spirit and police-community partnerships; and
Send a message to criminals letting them know that neighborhoods are organized and fighting back.
The National Association of Town Watch, the national event’s main sponsor, expects 37 million to participate nationally and across Canada.