Towns Celebrate Community With National Night Out

Local police officers will play softball in a game against local radio station disc jockeys Tuesday night as a part of National Night Out.

The Riverdale Park Police Department with the help of the Maryland National Capital Park and Planning Commission are hosting the event on Aug. 3 at Riverside Park at 6 pm.

National Night Out, which occurs across small towns nationwide, is a way to help local residents meet one another and their local law enforcement in order to create a stronger community bond.

"Ideally, this will help prevent crime, because community members will known one another," said Corporal Roland Alexander, a community resource officer with Riverdale Park police.

"We want to give crime a going away party," Alexander said.

He said that the community should prevent crime not the police department and if residents take initiative to known one another, it will help.

Businesses will have booths during the event at the park on 5000 Riverside Drive and the only things residents need to bring are lawn chairs.

Another National Night Out celebration will be held in the Madison Hill neighborhood. There will be a block party at 5600 block of Silk Tree Drive from 6 pm to 9 pm.

The University Park Police Department will be holding their third installment of their public safety forum at University Park Elementary School as a part of National Night Out.

University Park Police Chief Michael Wynnyk said there will be food provided and he's hoping for a large turnout. The safety forums have been held in response to the recent increase in burglaries in the area.

 "The community is not just your house," he said, "it's reaching out beyond that."

The meeting, which will begin at 6:30 p.m., will allow residents to voice their concerns about the recent increase in crime and share ideas on how to prevent crimes in the area.