Aiming to bring the Lawrence Township Police Department and the community it serves closer together, Lawrence Township will participate in the annual National Night Out event next week.
Lawrence Township’s National Night Out, set for Aug. 7 from 5:30-8 p.m., will take place on the front lawn at the municipal building, Route 206.
There will be activities for children, including an inflatable “bounce house” and face painting, as well as a demonstration by the police department’s K-9 dog and “show and tell” for children as they explore a patrol car.
Lawrence Township Emergency Medical Services and the Lawrence Road Fire Co. will bring an ambulance and a fire truck so children can get a closer look at those vehicles.
And, of course, there will be plenty of food – hamburgers and hot dogs, cooked on the grill by Lawrence Township police officers and retired police officers. There will be corn on the cob and water ice, too.
Music will be provided by Tony Stacey and the Papa Delux Band.
“It’s a good community event,” Police Lt. Joseph Lech IV said. “It encourages the community to get involved and partner up with the police department and to prevent crime and build relationships. When they know who we are, the barriers come down.”
This year marks the 35th anniversary of the first National Night Out in 1984, which was held in 400 towns in 23 states, according to the National Association of Town Watch.
It has grown over the years, and last year it was held in 16,000 communities nationwide, plus U.S. territories and military bases. More than 38 million people participated, the National Association of Town Watch said.
