San Angelo National Night Out Event a Success Unlike Other Cities

SAN ANGELO, TX - Yesterday afternoon, local law enforcement and the community celebrated the 33^rd National Night Out at several locations across the city. LIVE! visited the Angelo Skate and Fun Center, 34 Buick St., to witness the turnout.

Although different event places began at different times, the Angelo Skate and Fun Center event location began at 5:00 p.m.

As the time crept to 5 p.m., parents and kids began to fill the parking lots and streets neighboring the event. Many kids were overjoyed and excited to sit in a police car.

Misty Clark and her 7-year-old joined in the fun.

Clark stated, “My daughter likes police officers, so we came to look at all of the cars and to skate.”

During the event, kids received goody bags with prizes and were able to see what it's like to be in a first responder’s vehicle. First responder vehicles included the San Angelo Police Department (SAPD), Tome Green County Sheriff’s Office (TGCSO) and the San Angelo Fire Department (SAFD).

As the kids surrounded the vehicles, sirens blared, and a few kids enjoyed talking through the car speakers.

Deputy House with TGCSO explained, “We are here, basically to meet and greet with the community and just let them know that we appreciate their support, and we’re here to support them. [We want] to get to know them and let them know that, hey we’re here and we appreciate everything they do for us.”

House added, “Night Out has always been a great success, and we’re going to continue doing it. Just because you don’t come and see us here, if you see us out in the streets, feel free to come up and say hi and get to know us. We want to know y’all.”

Battalion Chief Fisher with the SAFD also attended the Night Out Event. He said, “We’re out visiting each site, just kind of looking around and visiting with the kids.”

Overall, law enforcement and community members believe this event helps shed a positive light on first responders. National Night Out is a chance to build a strong relationships between first responders and the people of the community they help protect.

Fisher added, “I think that [Night Out event] is really great to help get the partnership with the police, sheriff’s, constables, kids and the community. I think it’s good that the kids can get to visit with us and them, and kind of see what we do.”

Even though the Night Out events were a success in San Angelo, places such as Dallas did not go so well. Activists announced that they would protest at the Night Out event. Attorney General Loretta Lynch called the Dallas Police force a role model in community policing. A local news station stated Lynch “also announced plans to give more federal funding to local police departments.The city of Dallas will receive more than $3 million to hire about 25 officers.” 

However, protesters do not agree with Lynch.

The Next Generation Action Network (NGAN), as of yesterday, planned to protest at the National Night Out event in Dallas, stating they want to be heard. During Lynch's visit to their city, leaders of the activist group were not invited to meet with her; therefore, they demonstrated their protest during the event.

Dominique Alexander, NGAN founder stated, “We want our voices to be heard. The community wants to be heard. We want Loretta Lynch to open up an investigation into the Dallas Police Department because we are afraid that the Dallas Police Department is covering up a lot of things.”

For more information about the Dallas activists, click here.