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Lakehurst community members celebrate with 'night out'

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Ryan Throneberry
  • Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst Public Affairs
JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, N.J. --  The Lakehurst Police Department teamed up with the 87th Security Forces Squadron to host the National Night Out event Aug. 6, 2013, in Lakehurst, N.J., for joint base and local borough community members alike.

Local businesses, state organizations and emergency responders were all present to show their support for the national crime prevention initiative.

"We started this annual event in 1996 in conjunction with then Naval Air Engineering Station and it has been going strong ever since," said Eric Higgins, Lakehurst Police Chief. "I come from a military family and I know how tough it can be to move to a new area. It's nice for them to know they are part of this community."

National Night Out was first introduced in 1989, "America's night out against crime." It began an effort to promote involvement in crime prevention activities, police-community partnerships and neighborhood camaraderie according to the official website.

"The basis of this event is crime prevention, but it is also a way to say thank you to both the military and civilian families living in the area," said Higgins. "Lakehurst has a very strong tie to JB MDL and this event lets families get out and have fun."

Community members had a wealth of activities and spectacles to keep them entertained, not to mention free food. The N.J. Fish and Wildlife Service set up a BB gun and archery range for youngster to test their marksmanship. Danny Dries, a local artist, carved solid chunks of wood into bears with only a chainsaw. The LPD SWAT team showcased their weapons which included riot shields and grenade launchers.

"My daughter and I are having a great time with all the different activities," said Kelly Mendoza, Lakehurst community member. "It's nice to be able to go out and have some local fun on a Tuesday night."

The military working dog expo was the piece de resistance of the displays. The 87th SFS and LPD dog handlers unleashed their superbly trained canines on cushy-suited villains to showcase both military and civilian police working dogs operate with the same level of precision.

"An event like this lets the community see law enforcement personnel, both civilian and military, as humans who are just as much a part of the local community as they are," said Lt. Col. Patrick Steen, 87th SFS commander. "The dog expo gave them a chance to see what we do and how we train every day."