National Night Out: Cops Mingle With Community

Local law enforcement showed their softer sides Tuesday night during Murrieta Police Department’s National Night Out.

Hundreds of residents showed up to Town Square Park for the department’s third annual event, which allowed the public to interact with representatives from Murrieta police and fire, U.S. Border Patrol, California Highway Patrol and Mercy Air Ambulance, as well as several local organizations and businesses.

Sirens went off intermittently as children climbed in squad cars, the Murrieta Police Mobile Command Center, a Murrieta fire engine and Mercy Air’s helicopter, while parents were glad to get some freebies such as coloring books from The Shootist gun shop of Historic Downtown Murrieta and fingerprinting offered by the local Masonic Lodge.

“Murrieta is a very safe city due to the public law enforcement here,” said resident Mary Haire, 34, as she sat on a lawn chair near her young children who were on a blanket.

Haire said she moved to Murrieta just more than a year ago, and attended last year’s National Night Out. She was familiar with the event because the same was held in her former city of residence, Fullerton.

“One of the main reasons we moved here is because we wanted safety for the kids,” Haire told Patch.

“And this is just a great event,” Haire said.

National Night Out is in its 30th year nationwide.

“It’s another great opportunity for the community to come out and meet the police department and the fire department,” said Murrieta fire Chief Matt Shobert, who had an engine and crew on hand. “Learn some safety tips and take back the night out, as the saying goes, that is what this event is all about. This program was designed 30 years ago for communities to make a statement, and it has kind of taken off since then.”

Murrieta police Capt. Dennis Vrooman was happy with the turnout Tuesday, which has increased steadily each year.

Since the event’s inception in Murrieta, local Target stores have been a partner.

“It is definitely growing every year,” said Denicia Prather, who in addition to helping organize this year’s event works with Murrieta police often due to her position in loss prevention at Super Target on Clinton Keith Road.

“This event means bringing awareness about safety, the people that are out there—just being aware of crime,” Prather told Patch.

The scent of barbecued hot dogs permeated Town Square as Target employees cooked up free dinner for the community.

Prather explained that Target donates the hot dogs, while it garners donations from vendors such as Coke, Pepsi, and Orowheat for drinks, buns and chips.

“Tonight is about bringing the community together to learn some awareness,” Prather reiterated.

A bounce house also provided entertainment for children, while some adults preferred getting a close-up view of law enforcement equipment and engaging in conversation.

“It is a partnership,” said California Highway Patrol Temecula area Officer Nathan Baer, as folks stopped by the CHP booth.

He and two other officers handed out stickers, and had patrol cars and a spike strip on display.

“Our mission is to provide safety measures to the public: we can do it in two different ways, through education or enforcement,” Baer said. “Of course, enforcement is going out and writing tickets and stuff like that, but voluntary compliance with the law is much better. So if we can come out here and share with them the importance of obeying the law—and the lives we can save—it is definitely a partnership.”