National Night Out lands another successful year
T-L Photo/GAGE VOTA STAT MedEvac medical helicopter landing on Perkins Field during Bridgeport police department’s annual National Night Out.
T-L Photo/GAGE VOTA Bridgeport High School Marching Band performs the National Anthem at Bridgeport police department’s annual National Night Out.
T-L Photo/GAGE VOTA STAT MedEvac medical helicopter landing on Perkins Field during Bridgeport police department’s annual National Night Out.
T-L Photo/GAGE VOTA STAT MedEvac medical helicopter landing on Perkins Field during Bridgeport police department’s annual National Night Out.
T-L Photo/GAGE VOTA Bridgeport police department’s annual National Night Out attendees line up for free school supplies provided by all of the event's vendors.
T-L Photo/GAGE VOTA Jersey, the Belmont County Courthouse's therapy dog and her owner, sheriff's Deputy Jennifer Yuhase, welcome National Night Out attendees.
T-L Photo/GAGE VOTA STAT MedEvac medical helicopter landing on Perkins Field during Bridgeport police department’s annual National Night Out.
T-L Photo/GAGE VOTA Bridgeport High School Marching Band performs the National Anthem at Bridgeport police department’s annual National Night Out.
T-L Photo/GAGE VOTA STAT MedEvac medical helicopter landing on Perkins Field during Bridgeport police department’s annual National Night Out.
T-L Photo/GAGE VOTA STAT MedEvac medical helicopter landing on Perkins Field during Bridgeport police department’s annual National Night Out.
T-L Photo/GAGE VOTA Bridgeport police department’s annual National Night Out attendees line up for free school supplies provided by all of the event's vendors.
T-L Photo/GAGE VOTA Jersey, the Belmont County Courthouse's therapy dog and her owner, sheriff's Deputy Jennifer Yuhase, welcome National Night Out attendees.
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BRIDGEPORT -- The Bridgeport Police Department hosted its annual National Night Out on Tuesday evening at Perkins Field, bringing residents and law enforcement together for an evening of community engagement.
The event opened with the Bridgeport High School Marching Band performing the National Anthem, followed by the school's fight song as the Bridgeport High School Cheerleaders performed their routine.
National Night Out is a community-building campaign designed to strengthen police-community partnerships and promote safer neighborhoods. This year's event featured food, live music from Gage Joseph, activities, free school supply giveaways and demonstrations.
Police Chief John Bumba said the seventh annual event is focused on helping residents and officers build relationships.
"It's important for the people to see us and get to mingle with us," Bumba said. "We're human beings, just like them."
Assistant Police Chief Darby Copeland said maintaining a strong relationship between residents and law enforcement is especially important in a small community like Bridgeport.
"In a small village like Bridgeport, it's critically important. The majority of the crimes that we solve are from tips from our community members, and we truly do want to partner with our community," Copeland said. "And that's everyone from the youngest children up, and we want them to know that we're always here to serve them and to help them."
Copeland said residents and police share the same goal of making Bridgeport a better place to live and work.
"We all want the same thing, we want Bridgeport to be a better place to live and work," Copeland said.
The event featured displays and demonstrations from the Bridgeport Police Department, Bridgeport Fire Department, Brookside Volunteer Fire Department, Belmont County Sheriff's Office, Martins Ferry Police Department, Belmont County Emergency Management Agency, Belmont County NAACP, Belmont County Health Department, Tuscarawas County Sheriff's Office, Ohio State Highway Patrol and other community organizations.
A STAT MedEvac medical helicopter also landed at Perkins Field, while attendees enjoyed inflatables, free pizza and drinks.
All vendors participating in the event donated school supplies that were distributed to children in attendance.
Copeland said the event continues to grow each year and provides an opportunity for police to connect with residents.
"It's just a nice opportunity for us to get back to the community to help the kids get a fresh start for the school year with the supplies and so forth that they needed," Copeland said. "It also helps us to really re-emphasize one of our core values, which is community relationships and getting kids to know us and be able to talk to us and feel comfortable coming to us when there's a problem."