Celebrate National Night Out with the City of Kentwood on Aug. 1

Communitywide Events Will Feature Kentwood Police Officers, Firefighters and Leaders

The City of Kentwood is inviting community members to participate in National Night Out events throughout the city on Tuesday, Aug. 1. 

An annual event celebrated across the country, National Night Out seeks to promote community-police partnerships and encourage residents to connect with their neighbors, community leaders and local police and fire personnel.

Kentwood police officers, firefighters and leaders will join residents at multiple gatherings throughout the city. Most events will take place 6-8 p.m. and enable residents to explore police cruisers, fire engines and other emergency response vehicles while learning about important safety topics.

“National Night Out is an opportunity for us to continue to build and foster relationships between our residents and City leaders and police and fire personnel,” Mayor Stephen Kepley said. “We’re looking forward to spending an evening out and about in our city celebrating the community effort that makes Kentwood such a wonderful place to call home.”

Multiple community-based events will be hosted throughout the evening and feature a variety of free activities, including food, games and appearances from McGruff the Crime Dog. These include events at the following locations:

• Ada Bible Church, 1640 East Paris Ave. SE, will offer food and activities 5-8 p.m.
• Pentecostals Church, 2627 44th St. SE, will host a party 6-8 p.m.

“The Kentwood Police Department works hard every day to build strong community relationships, and National Night Out gives us a chance to engage with community members in a more relaxed, casual setting so we can focus on that,” Police Chief Litwin said. “This event is a favorite for our department, and we look forward to spending time connecting with the residents we serve.”  

National Night Out was started in the 1980s by an established network of law enforcement agencies, neighborhood watch groups, crime prevention associations and volunteers across the country. The observance seeks to promote community-police partnerships and neighborhood camaraderie.

More information about National Night Out events in Kentwood is available at kentwood.us/NNO. Groups who are interested in hosting an event can reach out to Kentwood Police Officer Derrick Wolterink at wolterinkd@kentwood.us or 616.656.6569.