Chicago communities strengthen bonds with police, fire departments during National Night Out

HARVEY - From coast to coast, law enforcement agencies were working to strengthen ties with the communities they serve during National Night Out.

Held annually on the first Tuesday of August, the event draws millions of residents from thousands of neighborhoods nationwide. 

The City of Harvey and the Village of Romeoville were among Chicago-area communities that drew large crowds for their events.

What we know:

Family-friendly National Night Out events were hosted in dozens of cities and suburbs across Chicagoland on Tuesday evening.

Open to all ages and free to attend, there was no shortage of fun for kids and parents alike; however, it was the youngest attendees who were beaming with excitement as they met local police officers and firefighters — many for the first time.

Romeoville

In Romeoville, National Night Out not only featured local heroes—but superheroes! 

All eyes were directed to the skies as Deadpool and Wolverine stole the show with an impressive landing in the shadows of a Black Hawk helicopter. 

"It really is a good time to bring families and police together," said Chief Brant Hromadka with the Romeoville Police Department.

Hromadka and Mayor John Noak said the event gives them an important opportunity to connect with the people who live and work in Romeoville.

"Honestly, that is who we work for, the people in this community and for them to appreciate the things that we do, and for us to appreciate them and to show that to each other is just really important for the village," Hromadka said. 

"Their futures and who they are is important to each and every one of us and we're here to support them. Giving them fun opportunities like this is just a special way to connect," added Noak. 

Together, they spent the evening building relationships, fostering trust and promoting safety.

"It's more for me, I love it," said Sarahlisa Mendonca, a community member who brought her 1-year-old son to the event. "We also come here to pay our respect and thank them for doing so much for our community."

"It is a terrific opportunity to step out from behind the badge," said Deputy Chief Chris Burne with the Romeoville Police Department. "I don't even feel like I'm working right now, so that's pretty cool."

Harvey

Meanwhile, the party was in full swing in south suburban Harvey.

There, the Harvey police and fire departments were encouraging residents to stop by the city's National Night Out event, held outside of City Hall. 

The block party featured a bounce house and craft activities for children, with other resources available to adults, including representatives from UChicago Medicine and Restoration Ministries. 

Together, neighbors interacted with first responders and learned more about their work, and vice versa.  

Rescue 8, a first responder education and training organization, was also on-site, engaging children in hands-on activities such as CPR training and dress-up sessions with firefighter turnout gear and police uniforms.

Days After Mass Shooting :

This year’s event came just days after gun violence shook the Harvey community.

Seven people, including a 4-year-old boy, were injured in a mass shooting during a house party. Authorities say someone at the gathering returned fire, fatally striking one of the alleged gunmen. 

In what police believe was a retaliatory shooting, more than 30 rounds were fired and a man was later found dead in a minivan.

Police Chief Cameron Biddings said the incidents stem from an ongoing conflict among individuals and emphasized the need for peace.

"It really just helps when you have officers from the community when you can engage with the community… building those relationships," Biddings said. 

Rescue 8 founder Saquan Gholar also hopes the event can inspire youth to pursue productive paths, regardless of their past.

"It means a lot to me because I was actually a high school dropout. I dropped out of high school and I thought my dream was over. I want all these kids to know that if plan A doesn't work out, there's always a plan B. So we want to be that A and B and show them how it went," Gholar said.

The backstory:

National Night Out (NNO) was founded in 1984 by Matt Peskin in a suburb of Philadelphia. 

Before launching the annual event, Peskin spent years volunteering with a local community watch and went on to establish the National Association of Town Watch in 1981.

A few years later, the event was established. During its inaugural event, 400 communities in 23 states participated. It has since expanded to every state in the United States.