From left: Officer Steve Roberts, Lieutenant Scott Bailey, and Deputy Chief Rick Slough manned the grill and provided free food for participants. (Photo: Katie Arvia)
LANSING, Ill. (August 8, 2018) – Each year, the Lansing Police Department and the Lansing community are among the millions of neighbors across America who participate in National Night Out. According to the National Night Out web page, it is “an annual community-building campaign that promotes police-community partnerships and neighborhood camaraderie to make our neighborhoods safer, more caring places to live.”
Typically scheduled for the first Tuesday in August (although Texas celebrates in October), National Night Out celebrations in all 50 states include block parties, festivals, and parades. In Lansing, the party was held last night at Rotary Park (193rd and Sherman), from 5:00–8:00pm.
From left: Officer Steve Roberts, Lieutenant Scott Bailey, and Deputy Chief Rick Slough manned the grill and provided free hot dogs for participants. (Photo: Katie Arvia)Cadet Ann Marie Hawsier (left) and Cadet Sergeant Kennedy Iwaszko were on hand to show off the LPD’s cool rides and give kids a chance to take a seat behind the wheel. (Photo: Katie Arvia)Kids were allowed to take the wheel of LPD’s Nasquad racing car. (Photo: Katie Arvia)From the Thornton Police Department, Officer Houts and 5-year-old Geronimo participated in a K9 demonstration. Geronimo was trained using Dutch commands and has worked with Officer Houts for several years. Officer Houts also works with the Lansing K9 unit. (Photo: Katie Arvia)Other fun surprises included a bouncy house……and free face painting, as well as a kids-only raffle, a dunk tank, and other games and activities. (Photos: Katie Arvia)Thornton Township supports National Night Out, and Community Relations Manager Ernst Lamothe welcomed guests to Rotary Park and handed out free goody bags. (Photo: Katie Arvia)Lansing residents enjoyed the opportunity to meet and talk to some of Lansing’s police officers. Those in attendance were treated to free hot dogs, chips, snow cones, and more. (Photo: Katie Arvia)
Katie is a lifelong Lansing native who currently works full-time in marketing while also freelance reporting for The Lansing Journal. In 2015, she graduated with high honors from Saint Xavier University in Chicago with a BA in English, and she plans to pursue a Master's degree in the near future. Her favorite Lansing Journal assignments include coverage of TF South High School's walkout ("Demonstrating the possibilities") and her St. Patrick's Day interview with her grandma ("St. Patrick's Day traditions: reflections of an Irish granddaughter").
