Law enforcement officers, community and government organizations, businesses, and members of the public gathered in the parking lot across from St. Boniface Church in Elmont for the Nassau County Police Department’s 5th Precinct National Night Out.
The 5th Precinct serves North Valley Stream, Valley Stream, West Hempstead, Franklin Square, Lakeview, Garden City South, Malverne Park, Malverne Oaks, Elmont, North Lynbrook and South Floral Park.
NNO is celebrated annually on the first Tuesday in August. The event aims to strengthen the relationship between law enforcement and the communities they serve.
“I believe that the police department cannot do our job to the best of our abilities without having a relationship with the community, because ultimately we work together to make our communities safer and better for everybody,” 5th Precinct officer Angelica Caggiano said.
Caggiano is a problem-oriented police officer, or a “POP” officer, meaning she serves as a liaison between the police department and the community.
Local officials also attended the event to support law enforcement. For Nassau County Legislator Carrié Solages, the cause hits close to home.
“I was inspired to support this because I'm the son of a police officer and I know firsthand the role that public officers play in our community, a very important role,” Solages said. “I think, especially this year, in light of the police officer who died on her way to work to serve this community, it's important for our community to say, ‘thank you’ to our police officers.”
Solages is referring to the death of Officer Patricia Espinosa, an NCPD 5th Precinct police officer killed by a drunk driver in January.
Also, in attendance was Nassau County Legislator Cynthia Nuñez, whose office participated in NNO for the third consecutive year.
“Law enforcement is a gateway to not only our safety and our first responders, but just a level of interaction that people have been yearning for quite some time,” Nuñez said. “It's good to know that not only do we have them there when we need them for emergencies, but they're one of us. They're amongst us. They live in our neighborhoods. They're our neighbors.”
Along with the 5th Precinct, the Lynbrook Police Department, firefighters, EMTs and sanitation workers were among the government organizations that presented information booths to guests. Children had the opportunity to sit inside firetrucks and a sanitation truck, as well as meet Sparky the Fire Dog, the mascot of the National Fire Protection Association.
Both the 5th Precinct and the Lynbrook Police Department made a point to engage attendees and encourage children to learn more about law enforcement and the role officers play in the community. Children and their families played cornhole for police-themed prizes at Lynbrook’s booth and admired NCPD police horses while speaking with the officers riding them.
“I've done events like this, and it's just excellent getting the kids out in the community, having a back and forth with them, and showing them that police are not someone to be afraid of,” Chief Brian Paladino of the Lynbrook Police Department said. “We’re helpers in the community, and we're a friend.”
Another organization sharing information at NNO was the St. Boniface Knights of Columbus. Bill Kurrus, a member, expressed his appreciation for local police departments, particularly for the sacrifices officers make to ensure residents’ safety.
“I want to remind people that when there's a calamity, a disaster percolating, for example, a blizzard, we're all tucking our children in bed, and we're staying with the family to make sure that there's food and they're safe, and we're watching over them,” Kurrus said. “These police officers are kissing their family’s goodbye and going out to protect us. I think that has to be constantly repeated to the community that they sacrifice (while) watching over us, and we should never take them for granted.”
