HP_081618

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the highland park landmark | August 16, 2018 | 3
Police and community join
together for National Night Out
Matt Huppert
Freelance Reporter
Members of Boy Scout Troop 324 (from left to right,
back to front), Jackson Droll, Joey Mendez, David
Moore, and Ryan Farrell parade the national colors toward
City Hall while Henry Droll (not pictured) leads the
Pledge of Allegiance Aug. 7. Claire Esker/22nd Century
Media
The early evening showers
cleared just in time
Aug. 7 for Highland Park’s
first National Night Out
celebration, where police
officers, neighborhood
groups and residents gathered
for a festive promotion
of a unified and safe
community.
Residents were encouraged
to strike up conversations
with law enforcement
officers, local
businesses and neighborhood
organizations during
the event set up outside of
city hall. In addition, there
were plenty of activities
for attendees of all ages,
from the more carnival attractions
like the petting
zoo and cop dunk tank, to
interactive and educational
demonstrations, such as a
DUI driving simulation.
The event was part of
a nationwide campaign
to foster a sense of local
community and build
on partnerships between
police and city residents,
Highland Park City Manager
Ghida Neukirch said.
The police department’s
hosting of National Night
Out and their involvement
at similar festivals
and events throughout the
year reflect their day-today
work to connect with
the community on issues
of public safety, as well as
education, she said.
“I think our police department
does an outstanding
job engaging with the
public, and this is just another
one of those opportunities
for us to engage with
[them] in a more comprehensive
manor,” she said.
The crowd was welcomed
by Councilwoman
Michelle Holleman and
Police Chief Lou Jogmen.
Following a ceremonial
honor guard presentation
from Boy Scout Troop 234,
the Police Department’s
own Laura Fairchild sang
the national anthem and
the City Manager Office’s
Wendy Roy sang “America
the Beautiful.”
Jogmen told the crowd
how their city was one of
many around the nation
organizing such an event
in order to promote safety
and neighborhood comradery.
“Tonight, Highland Park
joins thousands of other
communities and millions
of people from across the
country in a sign of unity
against crime,” he said.
“This event allows police
community partnerships
to continue to grow, new
relationships to form and
encourages residents to
take an active role in public
safety.”
The police department
hoped to encourage community
members and residents
to take an active role
in keeping their community
safe, Jogman said.
In particular, he said
residents could discourage
crime by taking
simple steps like locking
their home and car doors,
checking in with their
neighbors and reporting
suspicious activity.
“Although we go out
each day and do our best
work, and believe me we
do try, our police officers
need your help in keeping
our community safe,” Jogman
said.
Juvenile Detective Eric
Hernandez, who gamely
participated in both the
dunk tank and the cop vs.
kid donut eating contest,
said National Night Out
and similar events can help
community members feel
more at ease around officers,
and therefore more
willing to help the department
if needed.
Hernandez said he
hoped the event continued
to build on this vital partnership
between the public
and law enforcement for
the benefit of the whole
community.
“I’ve been working here
for 15 years, and since the
start my whole point of
becoming a police officer
[has been] to help people,”
he said. “In this town,
what I want from everybody
is for the police and
the community to kind of
come together and feel like
we can all see each other,
talk to each other and not
be afraid of anything, and
always be willing to call us
for help anytime.”
Along with law enforcement
and public safety
officials, local businesses
and organizations were on
hand and added additional
support of a safe, united
Highland Park.
Ginny Glasner, president
and CEO of the
Highland Park Chamber
of Commerce, said the
organization attended the
event to spread the message
of supporting local
businesses for the strength
of the city economically.
Moreover, she said she appreciated
the positivity of
the event as a whole and
the expressions of community
pride.
“I think anything that we
all can do together to celebrate
us as a community
is a good thing,” she said.
“I think it supports all of us
looking out for each other,
because ultimately we’re
stronger together.”
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