Despite the muggy weather, more than 2,000 people turned out to celebrate East Windsor Township’s annual National Night Out festivities Tuesday night.
At least 70 community groups and businesses set up shop at the National Night Out event at the East Windsor P.A.L. fields on Airport Road to provide information about themselves, as well as giveaways supporting the National Night Out theme.
Children and adults alike could see police, fire and emergency medical technicians’ equipment, and also watch a K-9 dog demonstrate its ability to detect illegal drugs.
There were child car safety seat inspections, and demonstrations by the American Red Cross. Identification cards for children were issued at the parents’ request.
For children, there was a fire hose demonstration, an inflatable moon bounce, a rock climbing wall and face painting, as well as musical entertainment and lots of food.
The goal of National Night Out, which is held across the United States on the first Tuesday in August, is to promote cooperation among police, local government officials and citizens to stop crime.
Those goals were reinforced in a mayoral proclamation issued by East Windsor Township Mayor Janice S. Mironov, which stated that the event “is designed to heighten crime and drug prevention awareness, generate support for – and participation in – local programs to strengthen neighborhood spirit and police-community partnerships.”
The goal is to send a message to criminals that East Windsor Township residents and the Police Department have joined forces to fight crime, the mayoral proclamation stated.
“National Night Out was a tremendous success,” Mayor Mironov said, adding that Chief of Police James Geary and Detective Joseph Gorski worked hard to ensure that the event was a success.
Mayor Mironov also praised the volunteer fire company and rescue squad members, as well as the businesses and organizations that supported the event.
