Lacey Police To Hold First National Night Out On Tuesday At Gille Park

Lacey Township will hold its first National Night Out from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. on Tuesday on the south side of Gille Park on Manchester Avenue, Police Chief Michael C. DiBella said.

"The purpose of this event is to strengthen law enforcement and community partnerships, and promote drug and DUI prevention and education," the chief said.

The event gets underway at 6:30 p.m. when Lyndsey Supsie, 17, Lanoka Harbor will sing the National Anthem She will be followed by McKenzie Hupke, 17, Forked River, who will sing God Bless America, the chief said.

There will be plenty to do, including a bicycle rodeo conducted by Lacey police, a K-9 demonstration, a drone demonstration and a child identification table, all provided by the Ocean County Sheriff's Department.
The New Jersey State Police will coordinate a helicopter flyover and possibly a landing.

All agencies will have their law enforcement vehicles, apparatus and equipment on display. You can even have your child's picture taken with an officer in their favorite police car, the chief said.

The Forked River, Lanoka Harbor and Bamber Lakes Fire Departments, along with the Lacey Township EMS, Lanoka Harbor EMS, Lacey Township Dive Team, and Monoc Paramedics will also be on scene to meet visitors.

Mayor Peter Curatolo, who heads the Ocean County Health Department's Intoxicated Driver Resource Center will coordinate the Impaired Drive Simulated Course where visitors get to wear "impairment googles" to see what it's like to function under the influence. He will be assisted by Detective Dimitri Tsarnas, one of the police department's drug recognition experts.

The Gille Park Skate Park will be open from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., and will have a live DJ playing music. There will also be face-painting and other fun events for the kids. The Lacey Township Recreation Department will present “The Lego Batman” movie, which will begin at 8:30 p.m. Please bring a chair or blanket for the movie.

There will also be several non-profit organizations with tables, including but not limited to the Lacey Township Municipal Alliance, YPR of Ocean County, Hope Shed’s Light, the Rotary of Forked River, the Lacey Township Chamber of Commerce, the Lacey Township High School PTSA, and the Lacey Township High School Boosters

Juice boxes will be donated by the Lacey Township Shop-Rite, bottled water by the Rotary of Forked River, popcorn by the Lacey Chamber of Commerce and bags of chips by the Lacey Township High School PTSA. The Lacey Township High School Boosters will have a table and will be giving out cookies. These items will be provided to visitors free of charge.

Pizza from several local businesses will also be available for $1 a slice. The Lacey Township Girls Softball Association will sell hot dogs for a dollar.

Other than emergency vehicles, and motorists with disabled parking credentials, no vehicular traffic will be permitted on the south side of Gille Park during this event. The Gille Park gate on Manchester Avenue (southern most entrance/exit) will remain closed to traffic. Residents and visitors are asked to park their vehicles in the remaining parking lots of Gille Park, including the parking lot near the basketball courts (northern most entrance/exit of Gille Park on Manchester Avenue), and the parking lot near the Gille Park Tennis Courts, located on Western Boulevard. Additionally, parking will be available at the Lacey Township Municipal Building, 818 W. Lacey Road, and the Lacey Township Middle School, located at 660 Denton Avenue.