Guilderland police asked residents to lock their doors, turn on a porch light, and join them on Tuesday, Aug. 4, for National Night Out, an event to raise awareness of neighborhood crime.
Organizers said the annual event, which was held from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Tawasentha Park, was also a way to strengthen local bonds between law enforcement and community members.
Guilderland Chief of Police Carol Lawlor said the night was about educating the town about crime prevention, but it was also about family fun.
We had a very successful night, Lawlor said. `We’re very pleased.`
The theme of this year’s event was `Giving Crime and Drugs a Going Away Party,` and it featured members from the crime prevention and personal wellness communities, child-safety programs, community organizations, and games, music and food.
Entertainment was provided by local band the Refrigerators.
National Night Out is sponsored by the National Association of Town Watch and locally co-sponsored by the Guilderland Police Department. It involves more than `15,000 communities from all 50 states, U.S. Territories, Canadian cities and military bases around the world,` according to information provided by the town.
Children at the event participated in a number of games, including the dunk-tank, hula-hoop contests and ring-tosses.
Horseback rides were offered and younger kids were flying through the air in an inflatable bounce house.
Amid the fun and games, though, were displays dealing with crime issues that affect the lives of thousands of people every day.
Lawlor said the town is planning to participate in the event again next year, due to its large turnout. She said attractions like free popcorn, cotton candy and ice cream are great to get people to the event, but the information provided by the Guilderland Fire Department, EMS and office of Prevention of Domestic Violence was equally as important.
She said representatives were available to answer questions and provide some demonstrations.
E.J. Conroy, who is affiliated with the Albany County Stop DWI program and Choices-301, an anti-drunk driving program headed by Ed Frank, said he was there with his family and was glad to see so many people on hand.
`It’s a lot bigger than I expected,` Conroy said. `It’s good for the families.`
He emphasized that it is important to support events like this. He said similar events, like the races in Malta sponsored by Choices-301, raise awareness of the dangers of DWI.
Frank’s Choices-301 exhibit is at the Beacon of Hope Care Center in Altamont at 6378 Gun Club Road.
New York State Department of Correctional Services officials were at the event as well, showing off some hardware used in tactical situations. John Johnson oversaw the display of an armored personnel carrier, and he said the one at Tawasentha Park was used in a 2005 hostage rescue at a state correctional facility.
`It’s a little show and tell,` Johnson said.
Johnson said his department is responsible for handling situations where prisoners in state facilities take hostages, and the carriers serve as a reliable means of transportation in those situations.
Other agencies, such as the Army and State Park Police, were at the event as well.
`I think people enjoyed themselves,` Lawlor said. `I hope people took something away from it.`
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