KPD Officers Kevin Canaley and Jack Grimm and Sgt. Adriano Marques (l. to r.) are in charge of 2015 program.
KEARNY –
Mark your calendars! Kearny’s 2015 National Night Out Against Crime will be held on Tuesday, Aug. 4, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. and, as usual, it is expected to draw hundreds of local residents.
The location will be the same, on Belgrove Drive between Afton St. and Bergen Ave., right next to Veterans Field (which can double as a “heliport”).
Although there has been a lot of talk recently around the nation about the need for more “community involvement” by police officers, this is one community where that involvement has long been the case. Kearny even has its own COP (Community Oriented Policing) unit, and one of its tasks is organizing the Night Out, part of an annual national program.
Scenes from last year’s
National Night Out in Kearny.
COP unit Sgt. Adriano Marques and Officers Kevin Canaley, Jack Grimm and Steve Montanino have been putting the finishing touches on the upcoming free event, which will include KPD displays (kids have a chance to don SWAT gear), an up-close look at the town’s police boat (on Belgrove, not in the river), a visit from a Hudson County Department of Corrections guard dog (don’t miss that demo) and the opportunity for youngsters to douse “flames” with the help of the Kearny Fire Department and real firehoses.
There will also be a classic car show, important informational displays by various groups — including the Domestic Violence Response Team and the Municipal Alliance Against Drugs — and, it is hoped, a visit by the N.J. State Police helicopter. That last is contingent on the copter’s being available at the planned time; sometimes it is on call to an emergency.
There’s lots of fun stuff: a bouncy house, spin art, food vendors, musical entertainment by a band comprising Kearny teachers, etc. etc.
(The COP cops are working on some other attractions. As of press time, these had not been finalized. But surprises are nice.)
Best of all, the Night Out Against Crime is a chance for law enforcement and local residents to meet and greet each other.
Plus, there are some great photo opportunities!
