Wright County residents can expect to see a lot of Wright County Sheriff’s Office patrol deputies on the streets tonight. I won’t be because of anything crime related, but because Aug. 2, 2022 is National Night Out – a nationwide community-building campaign that promotes police/community partnerships and neighborhood camaraderie.
Wright County Sheriff Sean Deringer looks forward to the annual National Night Out because it gives his officers a chance to meet and greet residents in an informal, festive atmosphere. The night is something Deringer and his staff take seriously because the Wright County Sheriff’s Office has maintained a positive level of trust in our communities at a time when that isn’t the case in many parts of the county.
“It’s a big night for us,” Deringer said. “There are going to be a lot of people involved from our office. Our reserves will be out. Our deputies will be out. Individuals organize with their neighbors – usually a block party or a backyard party where they invite their neighbors. Most register their event with their city, but if there are gatherings that we don’t know about, we tell our deputies to stop by, shake some hands and let the kids see their squad car.”
On Monday the Sheriff’s Office received notification from cities within the county that 75 documented block parties will take place. National Night Out involves thousands of communities in all 50 states. The concept of National Night Out because in suburban Philadelphia in 1970 and grew to the national level in 1984.
Don’t be surprised to see Wright County law enforcement with a presence at tonight’s gatherings because Deringer said his office has worked hard to build a trust level in the community and National Night Out is an opportunity for his officers to continue to forge a strong relationship with Wright County communities.
“Without the public’s trust and confidence, we’re not nearly as efficient or effective,” Deringer said. “We can’t have eyes or ears everywhere in the community. We rely on the public for us to be more efficient and effective. Without having that trusting relationship, we are less effective. It’s important to establish those relationships with our residents and National Night Out is an example of how we can help build and expand those positive relationships right in their own neighborhoods and have positive interaction between our residents and law enforcement.”
To learn more about National Night Out, click here: https://natw.org/about/.