BY SUSAN MCTIGUE
NORTHERN VALLEY PRESS CORRESPONDENT
The Harrington Park Police Department hosted its first National Night Out on Tuesday evening, Aug. 1 at Highland Field.
member of Boy Scout Troop 111, showed off his painted face and fireman’s helmet.
“driving” the Palisades Interstate Parkway Police rescue boat.
Chief of Police Albert Maalouf said, “Our goal is to bring together first responders who serve the community and the residents who benefit. We all share the common goal of keeping our community safe.”
The volunteer fire department and the volunteer ambulance corps also played key roles in organizing the event.
Officer Patrick Doyle of the Bergen County Sheriff’s K-9 Department demonstrated how his 2-year-old German shepherd companion is trained to apprehend someone at a crime scene. With volunteer Joe Solimando, who happens to be a detective with the Bergen County Sheriff’s Office, the shepherd latched onto his well-padded arm and wouldn’t let go until given a command by his handler.
Children were invited to climb aboard a Harrington Park fire engine and explore the interior of a rescue boat provided by the Palisades Interstate Parkway Police.
The highlight of the evening was the arrival and landing of the Hackensack University Medical Center AirMed One helicopter in the upper field. Once the crew had secured the helicopter, everyone was invited to come close and even climb into the cockpit for an exciting experience.
Additional displays were provided by the Bergen County Communications Department, with free food and souvenirs, a bounce house, face painting, games and music by a DJ from Magic Moments.
Bergen County Undersheriff Joseph Hornyak has been kept busy attending National Night Out events in other towns. He said that Teaneck, Hillsdale, Englewood Cliffs, Tenafly, New Milford, Englewood and many other communities requested a variety of services from the county, and had demonstrations from personnel involved with the bomb squad, SWAT teams and other first responder services.
The first National Night Out program took place in 1984 in the suburbs of Philadelphia and quickly grew to include law enforcement agencies, civic groups, crime prevention associations and volunteers. Hundreds of communities in dozens of states began to host block parties and festivals mixed with safety demonstrations and visits from emergency personnel. Today, millions of neighbors in thousands of communities across the nation take part in National Night Out.
Photos by Susan McTigue