It’s been a rocky few months in this country for police and community relations. It seems like every time you read the paper there’s something in there about people not exactly getting along with police.
Thankfully, Concord doesn’t have quite the same issues as many other communities have in that department. In fact, Concord residents generally get fired up for the annual National Night Out event held at Rollins Park, in which the community gets the chance to mingle with the law enforcement community.
National Night Out events are held all over the country every year to heighten crime and drug prevention awareness, strengthen neighborhood and community police relationships and send a message to criminals that neighborhoods are organized and fighting back on crime.
Last year’s event saw about 3,000 people turn out, said Concord police Officer Ryan Howe, who coordinates the event, and a similar number is expected again next Tuesday (Aug. 2).
From 5 to 8:30 p.m., Rollins Park will be full of people, vendors, games and military aerial vehicles, among other things.
Among the cool activities will be Touch-a-Truck, K9 demonstrations, contests with prizes, a Black Hawk helicopter visit, bouncy slide, zoo animals, roller derby, music with Nazzy from WLNH and more. Local nonprofits and businesses will be on site with displays, activities and information about their services.
A boatload of cheap food offerings will be available, including pizza, hot dogs, snow cones, cotton candy, fried dough, ice cream and lemonade. Each of these items can be had for just a buck if you buy a ticket. Ticket prices? $1, and all of that goes toward next year’s event. It really is that easy, folks.
Throughout the evening, the annual Badge Ball Tournament will be raging, as teams from public safety organizations take on teams of regular Joes on the dodgeball (tennis) courts. Badge Ball proceeds help support the Merrimack County Child Advocacy Center.
A free shuttle service to Rollins Park, sponsored by Havenwood Heritage Heights, will be available from Rundlett Middle School at 144 South St.
You’ll want to get there early, though, so as not to miss possibly the main attraction: the black hawk helicopter. The military chopper will land right on the baseball field once everyone is there. How often do you get to stand a few feet away from one of the world’s most elite fighting vehicles ever created?
“It’s kind of the highlight of the event,” Howe said.
The real highlight, though, is just the interaction with the community and the general fun that’s had by all.
“Generally we have a great relationship with our community already,” Howe said. “We like that the community comes out and enjoys this with us.”
