Township Residents, Police Meet at National Night Out

Chatham Township residents met McGruff the Crime Dog and representatives from the Chatham Township Police Department and Chatham Emergency Squad on Tuesday during the 28th National Night Out.

Residents throughout the township hosted block parties and invited their friends and neighbors to reconnect with each other. Township Committee members and representatives from the Chatham Township Police Department went to visit each of the six block parties to heighten crime awareness and drug prevention.

"It's important to know your neighbors," Detective Christopher Slayton said, "and that's what National Night Out is about."

Slayton also said that National Night Out is "just as much ... about getting comfortable with the police. People should feel comfortable calling us and feel comfortable reaching out to us when they need something."

Township Mayor Nicole Hagner said, "We're very excited about being able to offer this opportunity to the community ... to make sure [people know] how important it is to know you're neighbors and what's going on in your community."

Hagner said that residents should be aware that the police are there to help. "If you see something strange in your community, reach out to the police and let them know what's going on," she said.

Slayton said, "This is a very community-oriented police department. This is not inner-city, people should be able to know their police officers.

"We just want to go out, meet the neighbors and let them know that we're very friendly people and you don't have to be afraid of the police," Slayton said.

Committee members Bob Gallop, Kevin Tubbs, Bailey Brower, Jr. and Bill O'Connor also attended the six block parties in Chatham Township on National Night Out. Among the police officers who attended were Lt. Steven Hennelly, Sgt. Robert Sheetz, Det. Sgt. Maureen Kazaba, Det. Slayton, Det. Brad Hayworth, Patrol Officer Keith Johnson, Patrol Officer Anthony LoPorto and Patrol Officer Kelly Sretenovic.

Chatham Patch rode along with Det. Hayworth for National Night Out. Check out the video to see what we saw along the way.