On the first Tuesday of August, families, neighbors, and first responders congregated at Woods Park as the multipurpose recreational space took center stage for this year’s National Night Out celebrations. Kicking off an evening of family-friendly fun, the annual event presented attendees the opportunity to enjoy a spectacle of inflatables; tour fire, EMS, and police displays; support local food businesses offering a variety of food and refreshments; experience a variety of attractions; and most importantly, get to know the police department that serves their community.
The mid-summer celebration included the Cinnaminson Police Department, Fire Department, Emergency Squad, Public Works, School District, and Burlington County Sheriff’s Department, all of which play a crucial role in keeping the Cinnaminson community safe. Throughout the event, a steady stream of attendees poured in at the surrounding information tables to have open discussions with local officials seeking to build a safer community.
Handing residents freshly grilled hot dogs and flame-charred hamburgers, Cinnaminson native and chief of police, William Obuchowski, believes Woods Park is the perfect, relaxed setting to promote trust and safety throughout the community. Surrounded by a parking lot of neighborhood camaraderie and meaningful conversations, Obuchowski says, “We’re here to make everybody’s life better, make them feel safe in our town, and events like these are all about building trust with our community.” His message mimics the origins of the nationally celebrated event.
Although the event has become a staple celebration in the quaint, suburban community of Cinnaminson, the police-community building event can be traced back to the western suburbs of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It was there that community watch volunteer Matt Peskin sought to create an event that would bring police and neighbors together in an everyday setting, outside of emergencies. His positive initiative has since blossomed into National Night Out and has seen participants across 400 communities and in 23 states. Throughout the nation, communities have put their own spin on the backyard-style block party commemorated on the first Tuesday of August in their local communities.
As officers walked throughout the park interacting with the people they serve and protect, the event, which featured an activity for everyone, was a community-wide effort providing free fun for everyone who came out. Speaking more on planning an event to this scale, Police Chief Obuchowski says the unifying event took months of preparation. “We start planning probably in June, just trying to get some letters out there and get businesses involved. It’s all funded by donations, fundraising, and the township.”
National Night Out is among several community-building events organized by the police department each year. Obuchowski commented on the successful turnout at their annual Fall Festival, Movie Night with the Police, and Truck-or-Treat, all of which have continued to draw larger crowds and fostered positive community interactions as the years have gone by.
When asked about the importance of organizing police and community partnering events like National Night Out and the celebrations to follow, Deputy Chief Lee Park of the Cinnaminson Fire Department believes it is equally important to give back to the community that supports first responders as it is to promote public safety.
As the evening drew to a close and the sun set over the crowd breaking a sweat to the sounds of Michael Jackson’s “Billie Jean,” Deputy Park reflected on the successful event that was made possible by the community that surrounded him . “I just want to thank the community for their support for us,” he says, navigating through the enthusiastic crowd, “because we’re happy to be here for it.”
