The Chula Vista Police Department is inviting the community to a public safety celebration which aims to strengthen the good relationship between locals and law enforcement.
On August 7, CVPD will hold its 10th annual National Night Out celebration with the purpose of bringing residents and officers closer together.
CVPD Lieutenant Henry Martin is in charge of holding this year’s observance of National Night Out. He spoke with La Prensa San Diego about what attendees can expect at the event.
“We are going to have many agents and demos from different department units so that people get to see SWAT agents, field force agents, traffic agents, K9 dogs and other things like the vehicles they use,” said Martin.
Among other activities and interactions, the event will also count with tours of the department headquarters, tours of the investigation center, and informational booths about what specific department units do.
Kids’ activities will include a workshop station as well as arts and crafts. This community event will also give kids the chance to interact with officers by decorating cookies.
“Hometown Buffet will donate cookies so that kids can decorate them and can have an exchange with the (agents) so that they do not fear the police and see that we are regular people through the cookie with a cop activity,” Martin explained.
In addition to CVPD booths and activities, the Chula Vista Fire Department will be holding a car rescue demonstration using the Jaws of Life apparatus.
Martin, who has worked his entire career in Chula Vista, says that this South Bay city is one where there is a good relationship between the public and the police.
“(Chula Vista) is a great city to work as an officer, there’s not a lot of crime and the people are respectful toward the police and I believe that helps with the we do,” Martin stated. This collaboration, he says, is part of the reason why Chula Vista is one of the largest cities with the lowest crime in America.
According to a City of Chula Vista press release, National Night Out was first observed in 1984 by the civilian organization National Town Watch to bring the public closer with local police agencies.
Over 15,000 communities throughout the United STates and Canada observe this yearly event. Locally, San DIego, National CIty, and Oceanside also hold similar National Night Out events.
