Grand Rapids’ National Night Out on Aug. 4 offers chance for neighbors to meet community police officers

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – On Tuesday, Aug. 4, Grand Rapids residents will join millions nationwide in celebrating National Night Out (NNO), a citywide evening of community-building that includes opportunities for neighbors to meet and connect with the community police officers serving their neighborhoods.

Many neighborhoods throughout the city are hosting family-friendly events to foster a spirit of community and raise awareness of crime prevention efforts. Grand Rapids Police, Fire Department and City leadership will visit many of these events throughout the evening. For areas without an organized event, people are encouraged to turn on outside lights and spend the evening outdoors on porches, lawns and sidewalks or look for other ways to connect with their neighbors Tuesday night. The goals of NNO are to:

• Encourage neighbors to spend time together in fun and positive ways.
• Raise awareness of crime prevention programs and the role everyone has in keeping our community safe.
• Learn about the many ways City departments and organizational partners contribute to safe communities.
• Strengthen positive community and police relationships.
• Show neighborhood unity in fighting crime and creating safe communities for all.

The Parks and Recreation Department will celebrate NNO by extending City pool hours. On Aug. 4, all pools will be open from noon to 8 p.m. Regular admission rules apply at:

• Briggs Park (324 Knapp St. NE)
• Martin Luther King Park (1200 MLK Jr. St. SE)
• Richmond Park (963 Richmond St. NW)

Julie Niemchick, GRPD crime prevention coordinator, says that when residents and police work together in their neighborhoods, good things happen.

“National Night Out was created to get neighbors and public safety personnel together,” said Niemchick. “For some attendees, this may be their first introduction to the community police officers who started in that role last fall. It’s a great opportunity to learn more about ways these officers are working directly with neighbors to create a safer environment for all.”

The list of NNO events and planned activities (as of July 28) is below. Events take place in the evening, unless otherwise noted. For more information, please contact the sponsor organization.

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