Bloomington Police to Hold National Night Out

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

September 24, 2015

For more information, please contact:

Captain Joe Qualters, Bloomington Police Department, 812.349.3317, qualterj@bloomington.in.gov

BLOOMINGTON POLICE TO HOST NATIONAL NIGHT OUT

Bloomington Ind. - The Bloomington Police Department will host National Night Out on Tuesday, October 6, 2015 from 6:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. The event will coincide with an Open House to be held at BPD Headquarters located at 220 E. 3rd Street. The public is invited to attend and refreshments will be provided.

Parking is available on Lincoln Street south of E. 3rd Street and in the parking lot directly across from the front of BPD, but only in the area closest to E. 3rd Street as there is another event being held by the owner of the parking lot.

At the event, tips on crime prevention will be provided along with information about other programs offered to the community by the Department. Specialty units such as the Critical Incident Response Team (CIRT), the Department's K-9, the Dive Team, and others will have static displays of equipment used along with team personnel available to answer questions. A demonstration about impaired driving will also be part of the event.

"National Night Out is another opportunity for us to interact with the public and highlight the programs and specialty units we have in our efforts to keep the community safe," said Chief Michael Diekhoff. "Many communities offer the program in early August, but that was the start date for local schools and we were concerned it might affect attendance. We also prefer this alternative date since it allows IU students to participate and the weather is a little cooler."

According to the National Night Out website, the event began in 1984. It is described as, "an annual community-building campaign that promotes police-community partnerships and neighborhood camaraderie to make our neighborhoods safer, better places to live. National Night Out enhances the relationship between neighbors and law enforcement while bringing back a true sense of community and provides a great opportunity to bring police and neighbors together under positive circumstances."

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