Bowser Administration Invites Community Members to Attend National Night Out With MPD

(Washington, DC) – Today, the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), residents, and community leaders will come together to celebrate the 40th National Night Out. The annual community-building campaign promotes police-community partnerships and neighborhood camaraderie. Each year, on the first Tuesday in August, MPD hosts community events throughout the city that bring together law enforcement and community members, highlight public safety initiatives, crime prevention efforts, and neighborhood watch programs in Washington, DC. MPD will hold events across the city’s seven police districts during the late afternoon and evening hours. Activities include community cookouts, agency resources, musical performances, and more.

“We know that building safer neighborhoods is both a whole-of-government effort as well as a whole-of-community effort,” said Mayor Muriel Bowser. “National Night Out provides residents an opportunity meet officers, MPD staff, and neighbors. This is the chance to really get to know the MPD members who patrol your neighborhoods and to have conversations about how we can work together to support our neighborhoods.”

Each National Night Out event, organized by MPD staff and community leadership, offers residents the opportunity to learn more about District programs and initiatives that make it easier for community members to work with MPD and build safer neighborhoods.
  
“You have heard me talk about the importance in the community’s assistance in public safety,” said Acting Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department Pamela A. Smith. “With the community’s help, we can address crime in the District of Columbia.”

The National Night Out kickoff location will take place in MPD’s Fifth District at the Rosedale Recreation Center (1701 Gales Street NE). Each district site will offer different activities and giveaways for families to engage with, including:

• The First District Site: Special attractions will include jumbo checkers, jumbo chess, a moon bounce, tropical smoothie giveaways, Rita’s giveaways, horse rides, DJ Chilly Willy, clowns, a trackless train ride, air brush tattoos, and a jazz band. 
• The Second District Site: Special attractions will include food, kid games, tic-tac-toe, limbo, McGruff the Crime Dog, a DJ, inflatables, and a prescription take back station.
• The Third District Site: Special attractions will include moon bounces, a DJ, free smoothies from Smoothie King, free pizza from Dominos Pizza, free fish and fries from a food truck, refreshers from Starbucks, toy drones for kids to fly, and a therapy dog. MPD will also have harbor boat and motorcycle side car rides, and a popcorn, snow cones, giveaways from AT&T and CSOSA, and backpacks will be given out by an outreach team.
• The Fourth District Site: Special attractions will include inflatables from Astro Jump DC, DJ Thrill, music from the Urban Sound District Band, free pizza from Ledos Pizza, and Starbucks giveaways. 
• The Fifth District Site: Special attractions will include the Side by Side Band, DJ, face painting, balloon art, popcorn/chip station, moon bounce, and an obstacle course. There will also be back to school giveaways, an ice cream truck station, games, prizes, CPR training, and a park police horse mounted unit. Special accommodations include a VIP tent, senior tents, and misting tents. 
• The Sixth District Site: Special attractions will include inflatable course provided by QB Blitz, DJ Mix, community kickball game, a kids zone T-shirt designing, and chalk art. 
• The Seventh District Site: Special attractions will include a Washington Wizards Inflatable Basketball Court, catering by Mr. Yummy, giveaways from Starbucks, a jumbo connect four, corn hole, a DJ, face painting, a marching band, and performances by a girls dance troop. 

Below is a list of the MPD locations for all National Night Out events:

View more information on other events and details.
 

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