Law Enforcement & Communities Gather in Nebraska

‘National Night Out’ is Tuesday, August 3. It’s a campaign aimed at bringing communities and law enforcement together. Beginning in 1984, the annual event occurs on the first Tuesday of August.

There will be 23 Nebraska cities and towns participating in the event.

Chuck Chinn is the Police Chief for the Northeastern Nebraska town of Emerson and said the program allows community and law enforcement to spend time under light-hearted circumstances.

“The only time we get to meet [with the community] is during a bad event or a major event or something,” he said. “This way it gives them a chance to come out and meet with us on a more personal level, without anybody going to jail or anything.”

Theresa Briggs, with the Scottsbluff Police Department in western Nebraska, says it’s important for young people to feel positive around law enforcement.

“A lot of kids these days are told a lot of negatives {about law enforcement},” she said. “We want them to feel safe around our officers, safe enough to be able to come to us when they have problems.”

Emerson will display the town’s new first responder equipment, while Scottsbluff hosts a car show. Most towns and their police departments prepare games and food.

The event was created in Philadelphia by the National Association of Town Watch. According to the association, about 16,000 communities are registered for the event.

For more information or to view a nationwide map of participating towns, visit natw.org/about.